US Navy confirms Blackbeard hypersonic missile link to MACE program as first weapon candidate.

The U.S. Navy confirmed to Colby Badhwar that the Blackbeard hypersonic missile developed by Castelion has been selected as the first weapon candidate under the Multi-mission Affordable Capacity Effector (MACE) program.

The announcement ties a $49.9 million contract to full-scale prototype development, flight testing, and early operational deployment, directly advancing the Navy’s ability to conduct survivable, long-range precision strikes against defended targets. The confirmation, reported on April 15, 2026, identifies planned flight integration from the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and ongoing development activities in Torrance, California, as part of a rapid prototyping effort through 2027.

Related news: U.S. to test Blackbeard hypersonic missile on F/A-18 fighter jet to strike before defenses react

The Blackbeard is a low-cost hypersonic missile primarily designed for air-launch, from F/A-18 and future F-35 internal carriage, with a parallel ground-launched variant for HIMARS and CAML, enabling joint Army–Navy use. (Picture source: Castelion)

On April 15, 2026, the U.S. Navy confirmed to Colby Badhwar that the $49,998,005 contract awarded to Castelion on February 25, 2026, was associated with the Multi-mission Affordable Capacity Effector (MACE) program. The contract funds full-scale Blackbeard hypersonic missile prototypes, flight testing, and early operational fielding through November 2027, with work primarily conducted in Torrance, California. This confirmation identifies the Blackbeard as the first concrete missile system selected under MACE since the program’s disclosure in 2024, ending a period of limited visibility following the initial requirement phase.

Near-term flight testing from an F/A-18 is planned, indicating a focus on rapid integration with existing carrier-based strike aircraft. At the time of reporting, Castelion did not respond to the requests for comment from Defense Archives concerning this confirmation. The Multi-mission Affordable Capacity Effector (MACE) program was initiated by the US Navy in February 2024 through a Naval Air Systems Command Request for Information (RFI). This RFI sought an air-launched stand-off weapon capable of maintaining the survivability of manned aircraft against modern air defense systems. The requirement specified a range complementary to the AGM-158C LRASM, which exceeds 370 km and is derived from the AGM-158B JASSM-ER with a range of 925 km, establishing a baseline for operational reach.

The primary fighter jet for the MACE is the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, while the objective requirement includes the internal carriage of four All-Up Rounds within the F-35A and F-35C, imposing strict dimensional and weight constraints. The weapon must carry a 75 lb (34 kg) warhead and include a terminal guidance capable of engaging moving surface targets, including maritime targets. Cost constraints were defined at or below $300,000 per missile, with a production objective of at least 500 units per year, placing the MACE within the same operational category as other emerging low-cost stand-off weapons like the Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) developed for the U.S. Air Force.

The requirement also mandated modularity, digital engineering, and compatibility with Weapons Open System Architecture to enable scalable production and future upgrades without disrupting manufacturing throughput. The Blackbeard itself is a hypersonic missile developed by Castelion, a company founded in 2022, to operate at speeds exceeding Mach 5 while maintaining maneuverability within the atmosphere. Its design emphasizes a higher number of weapons carried per aircraft, addressing limitations in payload capacity associated with larger hypersonic weapons. The Blackbird missile is also being developed in a ground-launched configuration for the U.S. Army, with compatibility targeting the M142 HIMARS and the Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher (CAML).

The missile is intended to engage moving and hardened targets at ranges extending several hundred kilometers, positioning it between conventional rocket artillery and larger strategic hypersonic systems. As of early April 2026, development testing has included more than 20 flight events evaluating propulsion, aerodynamics, control systems, and thermal protection. The MACE program execution is structured under the FY2026 Navy Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation budget as a new start within the Precision Strike Weapons Development Program, indicating formal entry into the acquisition pipeline. The acquisition model uses Other Transaction Authority combined with a fixed firm price prototyping contract, allowing rapid contracting and reduced administrative timelines.

The MACE strategy focuses on integrating existing propulsion technologies and high-maturity subsystems rather than developing new components, reducing both technical risk and development duration. The program is planned to transition to a program of record within FY2026, leveraging prior government and industry investments to accelerate timelines and limit cost growth. The emphasis reflects a broader shift toward rapid prototyping and early fielding within U.S. military acquisition practices, similar to what Ukraine achieved for its drone industry. The MACE system architecture is based on the All-Up Round concept, integrating propulsion, guidance, control actuators, communications systems, and software into a single deployable unit.

The design follows Weapons Open System Architecture standards, allowing interchangeable payloads and seekers to support different mission configurations. Warhead integration remains a government responsibility, separating payload standardization from missile development. The requirement for internal carriage within the F-35 imposes strict constraints on size, weight, and aerodynamic configuration, directly influencing system design. Cost limitations at $300,000 per unit further constrain subsystem selection and complexity, requiring trade-offs between performance and affordability. The missile must also remain compatible with existing aircraft interfaces and support equipment to minimize integration costs.

These constraints collectively define a system optimized for high-volume production and both air-launched and ground-launched variants without requiring fundamental redesign. The MACE development timeline includes key milestones such as the aircraft integration contract awarded in November 2025 and the airframe development contract awarded in January 2026, following integration awards to Castelion in October 2025 from both the Army and Navy. Development activities are scheduled for completion within FY2026, enabling transition to a program of record within the same fiscal year. Early Operational Capability is targeted for FY2027, with full flight envelope certification accelerated from FY2028 to FY2027 to meet operational requirements.

The MACE missile will be positioned between high-cost hypersonic weapons such as the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) and the Dark Eagle, and subsonic cruise missiles like JASSM and LRASM, filling a capability gap in cost and performance. Funding for the program has expanded significantly beyond its initial allocation, with $106 million requested in FY2026, including $60 million dedicated to airframe development and subsystem integration. Congressional additions increased funding by $140 million, more than doubling the base allocation, while reconciliation funding added $133 million, bringing total FY2026 funding to $379 million.

Of the reconciliation funding, $44 million is allocated for long-lead procurement items and $89 million for integration, certification, and testing activities. The U.S. Army contributes an additional $25 million to support the development of the ground-launched variant. The allocation reflects a combined focus on development, testing, and initial production preparation, as well as a new area of prioritization by the US Navy. Procurement planning for FY2027 includes $156 million allocated for the acquisition of 353 missiles, resulting in an average unit cost of $442,000, exceeding the target marginal cost of $300,000 per missile.

The production objective remains at a minimum of 500 missiles annually, with expectations that unit costs will decrease as production scales and efficiencies improve. Castelion has privately invested $220 million in the Project Ranger manufacturing facility in Sandoval County, New Mexico, covering 1,000 acres. Designed to support high-volume production, the facility includes vertically integrated production of propulsion and guidance systems and is expected to be operational by the end of 2026. Its capacity objective is to produce thousands of missiles annually, supporting both Navy and Army demand. Joint procurement is expected to stabilize production rates and sustain long-term output. The industrial approach of Castelion is therefore structured to align production capacity with projected procurement volumes.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.