U.S. Navy Tests Blackbeard Hypersonic Missile on F/A-18F Super Hornet

The U.S. Navy has begun flight testing the Blackbeard hypersonic missile on an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter.

The Naval Air Systems Command released a video showing the testing of the new missile on X.

Two missiles were mounted on the aircraft during the test flight, allowing the Navy to assess the missile’s integration with the aircraft.

The released footage shows the aircraft flying with the missiles mounted on its weapon stations but does not show them being launched.

U.S. company Castelion is developing Blackbeard under the Multi-Mission Affordable Capacity Effector (MACE) program.

The U.S. Navy describes it as a long-range hypersonic strike missile designed to engage land and maritime targets. It is intended for deployment from carrier-based fighters, including the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

One of the program’s features is its focus on mass production and a relatively low unit cost.

The U.S. Navy plans to acquire a significant number of Blackbeard missiles to increase the carrier air wing’s weapons capacity and expand the long-range strike assets aircraft can employ against defended targets.

According to Navy plans, a single F/A-18E/F will be able to carry up to four of the missiles.

In U.S. Navy budget documents, MACE is listed as a separate procurement program.

Plans for fiscal years 2028-2031 call for the acquisition of more than 4,000 missiles, indicating that the program is intended for full-scale production.

Militarny previously reported that U.S. startup Castelion, founded by former SpaceX employees, had demonstrated its low-cost Blackbeard hypersonic missile.