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U.S. Navy Tests Blackbeard Hypersonic Missile
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In Short: The U.S. Navy recently completed a successful test flight of the Blackbeard long-range hypersonic strike missile from an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.
Vice Admiral John “Doc” Dougherty IV, commander of PAE(A) and Naval Air Systems Command, highlighted the milestone as a significant step toward achieving the missile's Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) Objective Completion (EOC), emphasizing its role in theater deterrence.
The test was a developmental flight, with no weapons released or live-fired. Both the aircraft and the two test articles returned safely to the airfield.
Engineered as a highly maneuverable and low-cost option, Blackbeard aims to address the Combatant Commander’s Key Operational Problem (KOP) by enabling accelerated production at scale.
This flight test directly supports the 2026 National Defense Strategy mandate to enhance hypersonic capabilities.
Blackbeard will continue its developmental flight testing at NAS Patuxent River, progressing toward future live-fire milestones.
Vice Admiral Dougherty also noted the effectiveness of acquisition policy reform in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, praising the speed and agility of the Department of War’s Acquisition Transformation Strategy.
The FCD&I Aviation Rapid Capabilities Cell and industry partner Castelion have bypassed legacy administrative constraints, demonstrating the potential of public-private partnerships in transitioning advanced commercial technologies to military use.
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- Home » U.S. Navy Completes Successful Test Flight of Blackbeard Long-range Hypersonic Strike Missile Blackbeard, an air-launched, long-range hypersonic strike missile, successfully completed another milestone recently, with a flight test on an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Maryland.