U.S. Navy Deploys Blackbeard Hypersonic Missile on F/A-18 Super Hornet
The U.S. Navy has released images of its Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet carrying the new Blackbeard hypersonic missile during a recent flight test at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.
The test marked another milestone in the development of Blackbeard as it moves towards Initial Operational Capability (IOC), although no launch or live-fire event took place during the test.
Developed by Castelion under the direction of the Portfolio Acquisition Executive Aviation (PAE(A)), with participation from the Naval Air Warfare Centers and the Department of the Navy's Rapid Capabilities Office, Blackbeard is a long-range hypersonic missile designed for use on fighter and strike aircraft.
The weapon aims to provide carrier-based fighters with a high-speed strike option capable of penetrating integrated air defenses and anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) environments.