Castelion Secures $1 Billion to Expand Hypersonic Missile Production

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, September 20, 2026

Castelion, a defense firm, raised $1 billion in Series C funding to boost production of its Blackbeard hypersonic missile and develop longer-range strike and defense systems. The capital infusion, supported by major investors including JPMorganChase and Andreessen Horowitz, aims to accelerate Blackbeard’s deployment by 2027 and expand manufacturing capacity.

Castelion, a defense company based in Torrance, California, has secured $1 billion in a Series C funding round to expand production of its hypersonic missile, Blackbeard, as well as to develop longer-range strike weapons and defensive systems. The injection of capital comes as the company prepares to field Blackbeard by 2027.

The funding round, which values Castelion at $13 billion, consists of $800 million in equity financing and a $250 million committed credit facility. It was co-led by JPMorganChase’s Strategic Investment Group, Andreessen Horowitz, and funds managed by Carlyle, with participation from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Lavrock Ventures, Altimeter, General Catalyst, Interlagos, and new investor T. Rowe Price.

CEO Bryon Hargis emphasized the importance of affordable, scalable production to meet deterrence needs. Blackbeard, which the company describes as a low-cost, mass-producible hypersonic strike missile, has been developed in California, manufactured in New Mexico, and relies on sourcing from U.S. suppliers. Castelion has secured over $500 million in U.S. military contracts in the past 18 months, advancing the missile from concept to a program of record in less than four years.

Since its founding, Castelion has moved through development, flight testing, and operational integration stages toward high-rate production capabilities. The new funding will enable the company to increase the production capacity of Blackbeard and accelerate the development of extended-range weapons and defensive technologies.

Katherine Boyle of Andreessen Horowitz highlighted the company’s rapid growth from a small startup to one with a Department of War production agreement and a manufacturing facility in New Mexico, considering this a strong indication that committed teams can solve complex technical challenges. Similarly, Ravi Mhatre of Lightspeed Venture Partners, an early investor since the Series A round, praised Castelion’s ability to translate investment into tangible hardware output, noting ongoing propellant mixing and shipments from their New Mexico operations.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.