Overview
- The U.S. Navy issued a firm‑fixed‑price order for about $89.997 million to Castelion to produce 50 Early Operational Capability Blackbeard weapons, a move announced Wednesday that begins the weapon’s transition to a formal Navy program of record.
- The SBIR Phase III award funds engineering, technical, logistics and manufacturing work to be done in Torrance, California, through August 2028 and explicitly pays for Defense Exportability Features to speed potential allied sales.
- Castelion presents Blackbeard as a compact hypersonic strike weapon that can exceed Mach 5, reach roughly 500 nautical miles, and be launched from F/A‑18E/F Super Hornets or a HIMARS‑compatible ground variant.
- Key near‑term tests for the program include proving repeatable production at claimed unit costs under $500,000, completing platform integration and certification, and securing follow‑on procurement funding from the Navy and Congress.
- The award follows Castelion’s recent $1 billion Series C funding and fits the Navy’s push for lower‑cost, high‑volume strike munitions under the MACE/Precision Strike effort, but full‑rate production hinges on successful testing, independent cost verification and sustained budget backing.