US backs low-cost ‘Blackbeard’ hypersonic missile for mass production

The United States has awarded defence startup Castelion its first contract to integrate the company’s ‘Blackbeard’ hypersonic missile with existing Army and Navy platforms, signalling a push toward faster, cheaper and more scalable strike capabilities. The three-year-old firm’s approach prioritises affordability and mass production, a shift from earlier programmes that yielded limited numbers of high-priced weapons.

Blackbeard is designed to fly at hypersonic speeds—exceeding five times the speed of sound—while retaining the ability to manoeuvre in flight, complicating interception. Castelion aims to manufacture the missile in large quantities at a fraction of the cost of legacy systems, turning hypersonics from rare, boutique assets into routinely deployable munitions.

A central element of the plan is compatibility with the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), allowing deployment from mobile launchers already fielded across the US Army. By leveraging existing infrastructure, the Pentagon seeks to speed up fielding timelines, reduce logistical hurdles and make hypersonic firepower available to frontline units at scale.