U.S. defence start-up Castelion has secured contracts to integrate its Blackbeard hypersonic weapon with Army and Navy systems, marking a step toward global deployment of next-generation strike missiles.
Castelion said on Friday it will work with the U.S. Army to mount the Blackbeard hypersonic strike system onto platforms such as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), which has seen extensive use in Ukraine.
The company also confirmed an agreement with the U.S. Navy, though terms of both contracts were not disclosed.
The move comes amid heightened competition with China and Russia to develop manoeuvrable hypersonic missiles capable of evading current air defences.
Hypersonic weapons travel at more than five times the speed of sound in the upper atmosphere and can alter direction mid-flight.
Their development has become a strategic priority for the U.S. military, which is seeking both capability and affordability.
Blackbeard is Castelion’s first hypersonic weapon system and is designed for mass production, with a target cost in the “hundreds of thousands of dollars” per unit.
The company said it aims to produce thousands annually at full-scale capacity — a marked shift from the traditionally high-cost, low-volume models of previous programmes.
President Donald Trump’s proposed 2026 budget earmarks $25 million for hypersonic integration efforts, though the plan has yet to be enacted by Congress.
U.S. firms including Stratolaunch, Raytheon (a unit of RTX), and Lockheed Martin are also racing to bring hypersonic capabilities into service.
The Pentagon views the diversification and expansion of these technologies as vital to maintaining strategic deterrence.
The Middle East crisis intensifies after the deadly attack on the compound of the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei on Saturday t...
The U.S.-Iran crisis has entered its third day, with further strikes reported across the Middle East and the death toll rising. Oil prices have sur...
Israel carried out heavy airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday (2 March), af...
Türkiye and Iran have suspended day-trip passenger crossings at their shared border, Türkiye's trade minister said Monday, as a ...
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov following recent mil...
The Middle East crisis intensifies after the deadly attack on the compound of the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei on Saturday that killed him, other family members and senior figures. Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. targets in the region.
The U.S.-Iran crisis has entered its third day, with further strikes reported across the Middle East and the death toll rising. Oil prices have surged to levels last seen during the Covid-19 pandemic, raising fears of economic disruption and higher prices worldwide.
Türkiye and Iran have suspended day-trip passenger crossings at their shared border, Türkiye's trade minister said Monday, as a U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran entered its third day.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov following recent military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel on targets in Iran, as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise.
Follow the latest developments and global reaction after the U.S. and Israel launched “major combat operations” in Iran, prompting retaliation from Tehran.
Saudi Arabia’s state oil giant Saudi Aramco closed its Ras Tanura refinery on Monday following an Iranian drone strike, an industry source told Reuters as Tehran retaliated across the Gulf after a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iranian targets over the weekend.
The Kremlin is utilising the recent United States and Israeli military strikes on Iran to validate its ongoing war in Ukraine. Russian officials are pointing to the escalation in the Middle East as evidence that Western nations do not adhere to international rules.
The Middle East crisis intensifies after the deadly attack on the compound of the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei on Saturday that killed him, other family members and senior figures. Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. targets in the region.
Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has moved into a pivotal constitutional role following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, becoming the clerical member of Iran’s temporary leadership council under Article 111 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The U.S.-Iran crisis has entered its third day, with further strikes reported across the Middle East and the death toll rising. Oil prices have surged to levels last seen during the Covid-19 pandemic, raising fears of economic disruption and higher prices worldwide.
The UK said it's allowing the U.S. to use its bases for defensive strikes against Iran amid escalating missile attacks, after a suspected drone strike hit a British airbase in southern Cyprus, causing limited damage.
The Kremlin is utilising the recent United States and Israeli military strikes on Iran to validate its ongoing war in Ukraine. Russian officials are pointing to the escalation in the Middle East as evidence that Western nations do not adhere to international rules.
European Union stands with its member states in the face of any threat, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in response to the drone strike that hit Britain's Royal Air Force base of Akrotiri in southern Cyprus overnight.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 27th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment