Navy Chief Examines Blackbeard Hypersonic Missile
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle was briefed on the Castelion-built Blackbeard missile at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Military
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Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle visited Naval Air Station Patuxent River on October 28, where he was briefed on and examined the Blackbeard hypersonic missile. The Navy has ordered production Blackbeard missiles worth up to $200 million.
Why it matters
The Navy is preparing to arm its F/A-18E/F Super Hornets with Blackbeard, a missile designed to fly at more than five times the speed of sound. The production order and planned purchases signal a move toward fielding the weapon at scale.
The Navy's production order covers 444 missiles worth up to $200 million, and the Department of War committed to buy a minimum of 500 Blackbeards a year once testing is complete. Its September developmental flight carried two missiles under a Super Hornet wing, with no release.
The players
Daryl Caudle
Adm. Daryl Caudle is the Chief of Naval Operations, the Navy's highest-ranking uniformed officer, who oversees the service's operational forces and readiness.
Castelion
Castelion is a Torrance, California company founded by former SpaceX engineers that builds the Blackbeard hypersonic missile.
The details
On September 18, a Super Hornet carried two Blackbeard missiles on a developmental test flight from Pax River that did not include a release. Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 flight-tests weapons on Navy strike fighters at the base, and Caudle was briefed on the missile there.
Timeline
April 2026: Navy awarded Castelion a $105 million contract to finish integrating the missile on the Super Hornet.
June 2026: Navy ordered 50 pre-production missiles for $23.4 million.
September 18, 2026: Super Hornet carried two Blackbeards on a developmental test flight from Pax River.
October 28, 2026: Caudle visited Pax River and examined the Blackbeard missile.
Roadmap
The Navy is adding the Blackbeard hypersonic missile to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, extending a strike fighter already in service into a new class of weapon. The planned load of up to four Blackbeards per aircraft would give the Super Hornet a hypersonic option it does not currently have.
The Navy plans for each Super Hornet to carry up to four Blackbeards, which would change the weapons load carried by squadrons flying the aircraft. Whether that load is fielded depends on the testing that still has to be completed before the 500-per-year commitment takes effect.
The takeaway
The Blackbeard program shows the Navy moving from flight tests toward buying missiles at scale. Whether production reaches the planned 500 per year will depend on how the remaining testing turns out.
Further reading
For related coverage of naval weapons programs, see Military news on Wisevoter.
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