Blackbeard
Hypersonic strike weapon designed for industrial-rate output and low unit cost; Navy F/A-18 integration toward Early Operational Capability in 2027.
Prototype
- Unveiled
- Jun 2025
- Contract award
- Sep 15, 2026
Capability · Strike and munitions
Low-cost missiles
Missiles and rockets designed for lower unit cost and higher production rates than legacy designs.
FieldedPart of Strike and munitions
Input links
3
Here and in 4 below
Assessment
Case for · why it matters
U.S. missile inventories are thin and slow to replenish, and solid rocket motor supply has historically rested on two primary manufacturers and a single approved domestic ammonium perchlorate source. Startups are designing missiles for high-rate manufacturing and lower unit cost to deepen magazines.
Case against · the skeptic’s view
Most new entrants are pre-production: Galadyne is described as a long way from mass production, and even the Army's selected low-cost interceptor targets $150,000-$200,000 per round. Cheap guided rockets such as APKWS already fill part of the niche at under $40,000.
Who builds it1
Fielded0
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Limited fielding0
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Prototype1
Development0
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Research0
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Concept0
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Placed by each organization's own maturity for this technology; TRL is self-reported or estimated, see confidence.
Breakdown4
- Guided rocket conversion kitsGuidance kits that turn unguided rockets (e.g. 2.75-inch Hydra-70) into precision munitions usable against drones.Fielded
- Interceptor terminal-guidance seekersOnboard RF, optical or infrared seekers that guide an interceptor to its target in the final phase of flight.—
- Liquid-propellant tactical missile propulsionMissiles powered by storable liquid propellants loaded at the point of use, instead of cast solid rocket motors.Development
- Modular low-cost interceptorsMass-producible surface-launched interceptors built from interchangeable modules (motors, seekers, kill vehicles) to add affordable magazine depth to air and missile defense.Development
Products8
APKWS II
Laser-guidance kit converting 2.75-inch Hydra-70 rockets into precision munitions; used air- and ground-launched against drones.
Fielded
- Combat use
- 2024
Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Desmond Parks · Public domain (PD-USGov)
Coyote Block 2
Rail-launched, turbine-powered counter-UAS interceptor with RF seeker and fragmentation warhead; the Army's LIDS effector.
Fielded
Freedom Eagle-1
Solid-rocket counter-UAS missile (originally BlueHalo) for Group 2-3 drones with RF seeker and 20 lb warhead; Army NGCM winner.
Prototype
VAMPIRE
Vehicle Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment: palletized launcher firing laser-guided rockets at drones.
Fielded
Photo: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Mariam Diallo · Public domain (PD-USGov-Military-Army)
Inputs it depends on2
- Energetic materialsMaterialPropellant and explosive supply has many single-source nodes. Ammonium perchlorate for weapons motors has one DoD-approved domestic source (AMPAC in Cedar City, Utah), and DoD calls single-source reliance a resilience risk.Critical
- Solid rocket motorsSubsystemMost tactical and counter-UAS missiles use solid rocket motors.Critical
Criticality is how much a shortage would constrain production; open an input for producers, concentration and trade controls.
Sources7
Profile6
- 1
Tectonic · Jul 15, 2026 · Supports Technology, Technology · technology input:solid-rocket-motors
“there have historically been just two primary manufacturers of 'em, L3Harris's Aerojet Rocketdyne and Northrop Grumman.”
- 2
Tectonic · Feb 5, 2026 · Supports Technology
“Galadyne is a long way from mass production, but the startup is taking things step by step.”
- 3
Galadyne · Feb 3, 2026 · Supports Technology, Technology · technology input:energetic-materials
“Missile inventories are shockingly thin, replenishment timelines stretch into years, and unit costs remain way too high.”
- 4
Air & Space Forces Magazine · Dec 11, 2025 · Supports Technology
“The laser-guided system costs less than $40,000 and has a per-shot cost of $24,900”
- 5
The War Zone · Oct 22, 2025 · Supports Technology
“The target unit cost is between $150,000 and $200,000, according to Noland.”
- 6Government recordAudit of Purchases of Ammonium Perchlorate Through Subcontracts With a Single DoD-Approved Domestic Supplier (DODIG-2020-095)
DoD Office of Inspector General · Jul 9, 2020 · Supports Technology
“The only DoD-approved domestic AP1 supplier is the American Pacific Corporation (AMPAC).”
Technologies1
- 7CompanyCastelion Awarded $105M U.S. Navy Contract to Field Blackbeard on the F/A-18 Super Hornet in 2027
Castelion · Apr 24, 2026 · Supports Organization technology
“Blackbeard is the first U.S. hypersonic system engineered from inception for industrial-rate output, commercial unit cost, and continuous flight test iteration.”
Each fact on this page is attached to the sources that support it. Archived copies are linked when we keep one.