Castelion
Castelion is a U.S. defense technology company that designs, tests, and manufactures the Blackbeard hypersonic strike missile for exclusive sale to the U.S. Department of Defense, leveraging vertically integrated propulsion and a 1,000-acre purpose-built manufacturing campus to deliver low-cost, mass-producible weapons.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersTorrance, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Castelion does
Castelion is a U.S. defense technology company founded in late 2022 that designs, tests, and manufactures hypersonic strike weapons, principally the Blackbeard hypersonic missile system, for exclusive sale to U.S. military services. Blackbeard is a solid rocket-powered hypersonic weapon with Mach 5+ speed and a 497-mile range, engineered from inception for industrial-rate production at an approximate unit cost of $384,000—a fraction of legacy hypersonic system costs. The weapon is designed for multi-platform integration including the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35C Lightning II, U.S. Army HIMARS ground launchers, and, via partnership with Saronic Technologies, Saronic's Marauder unmanned surface vessel.
Core technology is vertically integrated and includes internally developed 12-inch solid rocket motors (with in-house propellant mixing and motor firing), a hardware-isolated real-time flight computer with cryptographic acceleration, thermal protection materials for hypersonic flight environments, and a modular palletized launcher system designed for rapid deployment without dedicated platforms. This vertical integration is the company's central cost and schedule control mechanism. By mid-2026, Castelion had completed over 25 flight tests in under 2.5 years, validating rocket motors, control systems, and mission software, and had moved a hypersonic test vehicle from blank-sheet design to flight-ready in under four months.
The business model is direct contracting with the U.S. Department of Defense through SBIR Phase II/III awards, firm-fixed-price delivery orders, and multi-year framework agreements. Castelion generates revenue exclusively from hardware sales to the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and the Department of War, with no commercial or foreign customer base. A May 2026 DoW framework agreement guarantees a minimum of 500 Blackbeard missiles annually with a pathway to thousands, and the Navy MACE program plans procurement of 3,510 units through 2031. The company is scaling production through Project Ranger, a 1,000-acre purpose-built hypersonic manufacturing campus in Sandoval County, New Mexico, backed by $220M+ of private investment, targeting production-ready operations by end of 2026. Castelion has raised approximately $464M+ across seed, Series A, and Series B rounds from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Altimeter Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, and others, reaching a $2.8B post-Series A valuation, and is led by co-founders Bryon Hargis (CEO), Sean Pitt (COO), and Andrew Kreitz (CFO)—all former SpaceX engineers.
Castelion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Castelion
- Legal name
- Castelion Corporation
- Website
- https://www.castelion.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Castelion is a U.S. defense technology company that designs, tests, and manufactures the Blackbeard hypersonic strike missile for exclusive sale to the U.S. Department of Defense, leveraging vertically integrated propulsion and a 1,000-acre purpose-built manufacturing campus to deliver low-cost, mass-producible weapons.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Castelion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hypersonic Strike Weapons / Defense Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Propulsion Unit and Propulsion Unit Parts Manufacturing (336415), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (3364)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Ordnance & Accessories, (No Vehicles/Guided Missiles) (3480), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Engines & Turbines (3510)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hypersonic Systems (Weapons & Defense) (IMABAOAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Tactical & Strategic Missile Systems (IMABAHAB), Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Electronics for Weapons (IMABAGAH), Rocket Motors, Propellants & Warhead Integration (IMABAHAC)
Keywords
Where Castelion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Torrance
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Castelion business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- U.S. Government Defense Contracts: Castelion generates revenue through competitive government contracts with the Department of Defense. Contracts include SBIR Phase III awards, firm-fixed-price delivery orders, and multi-year framework agreements. Revenue stream is characterized by large contract values ($23.4M to $105M+) with defined delivery milestones and production targets.
- Production Framework Agreements: Multi-year production agreements with Department of War guaranteeing minimum production volumes (500 missiles annually) with pathway to purchase thousands more. Provides revenue visibility and production scaling commitments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Blackbeard Hypersonic Missile |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Castelion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Castelion designs, develops, tests, and manufactures the Blackbeard hypersonic strike missile—a low-cost (~$384,000 per unit), mass-producible, solid rocket-propelled weapon capable of Mach 5+ speeds with a 497-mile range. The Blackbeard system is engineered from inception for industrial-rate production and integrates with air (F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35C), ground (HIMARS), naval, and unmanned surface vessel launch platforms. Castelion also operates Project Ranger, a 1,000-acre dedicated hypersonic manufacturing campus in New Mexico, plus propulsion production in Midland, TX.
Product overview
Castelion is a defense technology company that designs, tests, and manufactures hypersonic strike weapons. The company's primary product is the Blackbeard hypersonic missile system—a low-cost, mass-producible weapon designed for rapid deployment at scale. Blackbeard is produced at the Project Ranger manufacturing campus and integrates with multiple U.S. military platforms including F/A-18 fighter jets, HIMARS ground launchers, and autonomous surface vessels. The company operates from Torrance, California with manufacturing in New Mexico and Texas.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Blackbeard Hypersonic Strike Missile Low-cost, mass-producible hypersonic strike missile capable of Mach 5+ speeds with a 497-mile range, engineered from inception for industrial-rate output at approximately $384,000 per unit. Integrates with multiple launch platforms including aircraft (F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35C Lightning II), ground-based HIMARS launchers, naval platforms, and unmanned surface vessels. Designed and manufactured by Castelion for U.S. Department of Defense customers (Navy, Army, Air Force, Department of War).
Quantifiable outcome
- 25+ flight tests completed in under 2.5 years
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Castelion
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Castelion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Castelion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Saronic TechnologiescorePartnership to integrate Blackbeard hypersonic missile with Saronic's Marauder Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) for maritime hypersonic launch demonstration planned for 2027. Marks first integration of autonomous surface vessels with hypersonics. Both companies founded in late 2022 and pursuing volume-production strategies for distributed hypersonic strike capabilities.
- ManufacturosupportingManufacturing software platform partnership to establish digital production system for scalable and traceable weapons manufacturing. Supports rapid iteration, configuration control, and complete build history for defense production.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Castelion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Anduril Industries: Venture-backed defense-tech prime with a similar Silicon Valley hardware development model. Anduril has acquired hypersonic-adjacent companies (e.g., Area-I, Stratos) and competes with Castelion for DoD mindshare and capital in the new-generation defense technology landscape.
- Lockheed Martin: Incumbent prime developing the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) for the U.S. Army and Dark Eagle for the Navy. Direct competitor in the hypersonic strike category with deeper DoD relationships and existing production programs.
- RTX (Raytheon): Incumbent prime producing the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) and scramjet propulsion. Castelion competes head-to-head with Raytheon for Air Force and Navy hypersonic strike awards.
- Northrop Grumman: Incumbent prime with hypersonic programs and the provider of HIMARS launchers that Castelion's Blackbeard is integrating with. Competitor for hypersonic production dollars and critical platform integrator for ground-launch use cases.
- L3Harris Technologies: Incumbent defense prime in seekers, avionics, and guidance systems—the same subsystems Castelion is vertically integrating in-house. Potential supplier or competitor depending on program structure.
Direct peers
- Saronic Technologies: Founded in late 2022 alongside Castelion by similarly pedigreed founders and pursuing a volume-production strategy for autonomous surface vessels. Castelion's strategic partner for USV-launched hypersonics, Saronic is both a partner and a comparable Silicon Valley defense hardware startup.
- Shield AI: Venture-backed defense-tech company building autonomous systems (drones) for DoD, sharing the same funding ecosystem (a16z, Lightspeed) and competing for DoD contract dollars alongside Castelion as a fellow new-generation defense hardware prime.
- Hadrian: Defense-manufacturing startup applying software-driven, high-volume production to precision components. Shares Castelion's thesis of rebuilding domestic defense industrial base with Silicon Valley capital and manufacturing rigor.
- Skydio: U.S.-based defense and commercial drone manufacturer built around rapid hardware iteration and vertical integration. Comparable in product DNA (hardware-rich, rapidly iterated, US-sourced) and in capturing share from legacy primes in a defense segment.
Emerging players
- Stratolaunch: Reusable hypersonic test platform provider enabling rapid flight testing of hypersonic vehicles. Adjacent to Castelion's mission of accelerating hypersonic development and a possible test-range partner or systems collaborator.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Castelion social profiles
Digital presenceCastelion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Castelion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Castelion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds14 records
Investors21 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Castelion M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Castelion
What does Castelion do?
Castelion designs, develops, tests, and manufactures the Blackbeard hypersonic strike missile—a low-cost (~$384,000 per unit), mass-producible, solid rocket-propelled weapon capable of Mach 5+ speeds with a 497-mile range. The Blackbeard system is engineered from inception for industrial-rate production and integrates with air (F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35C), ground (HIMARS), naval, and unmanned surface vessel launch platforms. Castelion also operates Project Ranger, a 1,000-acre dedicated hypersonic manufacturing campus in New Mexico, plus propulsion production in Midland, TX.
Is Castelion a public or private company?
Castelion is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Castelion founded?
Castelion was founded in 2022. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Castelion based?
Castelion is headquartered in Torrance, United States, in the North America region.
How does Castelion make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. U.S. Government Defense Contracts are the primary driver. The others are production Framework Agreements.
Who are Castelion's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Anduril Industries, Lockheed Martin, RTX (Raytheon), Northrop Grumman and L3Harris Technologies. Direct peers are Saronic Technologies, Shield AI, Hadrian and Skydio. Stratolaunch is listed as an emerging player.
Does Castelion have an API?
No public API is recorded for Castelion.
What industry is Castelion in?
Castelion's product category is Hypersonic Strike Weapons / Defense Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAOAG, Hypersonic Systems (Weapons & Defense), with a secondary code of IMABAHAB, Tactical & Strategic Missile Systems. Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.