--- title: "US Navy Invests Nearly $90 Million in the Blackbeard Hypersonic Missile: What It Changes" description: "On August 25, 2026, the US Navy signed a $89.99 million contract with Castelion Corp. to bring the Blackbeard hypersonic missile to early operational capability. The order includes 50 missiles, a transition to Program of Record status, and the deployment of serial production in California." date: 2026-08-27T05:16:01.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/us-navy-90m-hypersonic-missile-blackbeard tags: [hypersonic-weapon, blackbeard, castelion, us-navy, missile, defense-contract, f-a-18-super-hornet] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # US Navy Invests Nearly $90 Million in the Blackbeard Hypersonic Missile: What It Changes ![Blackbeard hypersonic missile at launch: vertical ascent with a bright fiery trail against a clear blue sky](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/27/vms-ssha-90-mln-giperzvukovaya-raketa-blackbeard/vms-ssha-90-mln-giperzvukovaya-raketa-blackbeard-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - On August 25, 2026, the US Navy signed a $89,997,162 contract with Castelion Corp. to bring Blackbeard to EOC level. - The order provides for the development of 50 EOC missiles, a transition to Program of Record status, and the deployment of serial production in Torrance, California, with completion in August 2028. - A carrier-based variant is being developed separately, with integration into the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet; EOC for the aircraft version is planned for 2027. - The program bets on "inexpensive, production-ready" weaponry, which distinguishes Blackbeard from limited hypersonic programs. On August 25, 2026, the US Navy signed a contract worth $89,997,162 with Castelion Corp. to bring the Blackbeard hypersonic strike missile to the level of Early Operational Capability (EOC). This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing data from Army Recognition. The agreement elevates Blackbeard from an experimental system to a Program of Record for the Navy and provides for the development of 50 EOC missiles, as well as the deployment of production facilities capable of manufacturing the weapon in series. ### From Prototype to Serial Program The contract is a logical continuation of a series of previous agreements. In February 2026, funding was allocated for full-scale prototypes, flight tests, and preparation for field deployment, while the April modification added requirements for test configurations and integration, including live-fire launches within the US Indo-Pacific Command's area of responsibility. Work on the new phase will be carried out in Torrance, California, with a planned completion in August 2028. Castelion will provide engineering, technical, logistical, and manufacturing services that bring the missile closer to its operational configuration. ### Carrier Variant and Integration with the Super Hornet A separate development track for Blackbeard is its integration with the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet carrier-based fighter. According to the company, the April work included safety and airworthiness certification, as well as tests related to carrier deployment; achieving EOC for the aircraft variant is planned for 2027. The carrier-based missile allows the launch point to move together with the air wing and the ship, making it harder for enemy intelligence and air defense systems to predict the direction of the strike. ### Bet on Mass Production The second key element of the program is production scale. The SBIR topic formulation directly defines the task as creating "inexpensive, production-ready" weaponry, and the August contract provides for the deployment of production facilities and the manufacture of 50 EOC missiles. This distinguishes Blackbeard from typical hypersonic programs, which often remain limited in quantity due to high cost and manufacturing complexity: the Navy expects to obtain a weapon capable of replenishing its arsenal in meaningful volumes during a prolonged conflict. ### Broader Context: Hypersonics as a Priority and a Threat to Ukraine Hypersonic weapons remain one of the priority areas of US rearmament. It was previously reported that the US Army conducted its first full-scale test of a hypersonic warhead, firing it from a large-caliber gun retrofitted for this purpose at the Yuma range in Arizona — a method that allows testing the warhead's vulnerability without spending an entire missile on each test. Meanwhile, the threat from hypersonic and ballistic weapons remains relevant for Ukraine as well: Russia is intensifying strikes with North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned about the increase in such deliveries as a sign of Moscow's preparation for further escalation of the war. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [US Navy Invests Nearly $90 Million in the Blackbeard Hypersonic Missile: What It Is For](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/vms-ssha-vklali-mayzhe-90-mln-giperzvukovu-1787807671.html) - Основной источник: дата контракта 25.08.2026, сумма 89 997 162 долл., 50 ракет EOC, Program of Record, Торренсе/Калифорния, завершение август 2028, этапы февраль/апрель 2026, интеграция с F/A-18E/F, EOC авиаварианта 2027. - [Castelion Unveils the Updated Look of the Blackbeard Hypersonic Missile](https://amalantra.ru/castelion-predstavila-obnovlennyy-oblik-giperzvukovoy-rakety-blackbeard/) - Контекст по программе Blackbeard и компании Castelion; не противоречит основным фактам. - [New US Hypersonic Missile Blackbeard Will Be Able to Fly at Mach 5](https://hi-tech.mail.ru/news/143872-novaya-giperzvukovaya-raketa-ssha-blackbeard-smozhet-letat-na-skorosti-5-mahov/) - Контекст по характеристикам Blackbeard; не противоречит основным фактам контракта. - [Castelion Begins Construction of a Hypersonic Missile Factory in the US](https://overclockers.ru/blog/Nacvark/show/248408/Castelion-nachinaet-stroitel-stvo-v-SShA-zavoda-dlya-proizvodstva-giperzvukovyh-raket) - Подтверждает направление по строительству производственной базы Castelion в США, согласуется с пунктом о развертывании серийного производства. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: How much is the US Navy contract for the Blackbeard missile? **A:** The exact contract amount is $89,997,162 (about $90 million); it was signed on August 25, 2026, with Castelion Corp. ### Q: What does the contract order include? **A:** The development of 50 EOC-level missiles, Blackbeard's transition to Navy Program of Record status, as well as engineering, technical, logistical, and manufacturing services to bring the missile closer to its operational configuration and to deploy serial production. ### Q: When will the contract work be completed? **A:** The work is being carried out in Torrance, California, with a planned completion in August 2028. ### Q: Will Blackbeard be used from aircraft carriers? **A:** Yes, integration with the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet carrier-based fighter is being developed, including certification and carrier-deployment tests; achieving EOC for the aircraft version is planned for 2027.