Castelion’s SpaceX-Style Hypersonic Innovation Fuels Push for Deterrence – RedState
El Segundo, Calif. – As Russia continues its deployments of hypersonic missiles, such as its bombing of critical infrastructure in the Lviv region of western Ukraine, America continues to close the gap. Top executives at defense startup Castelion have described the U.S. military’s demand for the company’s Blackbeard hypersonic strike weapon as unprecedented, highlighting the “extraordinary” urgency to deliver superior, mass-produced capabilities that restore deterrence through overwhelming force.
In an exclusive interview, Andrew Kreitz, co-founder of Castelion, highlighted that Blackbeard, built from a greenfield design by former SpaceX alumni, will not only match, but decisively surpass foreign systems through innovative, rapid iteration and scalable production. “We’re not just going to provide a comparable missile. We’re going to provide better and faster missiles, in terms of mass.” He added that when Blackbeard is developed, it will “far surpass” those that hit Ukraine over the past two days.
Castelion takes direct inspiration from the SpaceX playbook. The company vertically integrates key technologies such as rocket engines and guidance systems while conducting flight testing at a high rate, with more than 25 development tests completed in less than 18 months. Castelion designs for manufacturability, reducing development cycles from years to months and potentially reducing costs by 10 times compared to traditional weapons. This approach enables industrial-scale production of Blackbeard at commercial prices, positioning it as the first American hypersonic system built for mass production.
This philosophy aligns with the Trump administration’s renewed emphasis on deterrence, which Secretary of War Pete Hegseth focused on during his Arsenal of Freedom Tour stop in Los Angeles. “We are restoring a deterrence so absolute and so unquestionable that our enemies will not dare test us,” said Secretary of State Hegseth.
Kreitz, who is also Castelion’s CFO, seems to agree.
“We’re sort of inspired by Reagan’s mantra of peace through strength. What that means to us is that we have to be significantly more capable militarily than our adversaries,” Kreitz said. “The most likely scenario for a major war is that we are at or near parity. What we really need is the production capacity and stocks of these to prevent a war from happening.”
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Russia’s operational use of hypersonic systems, from the Kinzhal air launch to recent Oreshnik ground strikes, highlights the stakes as these systems challenge conventional defenses, exacerbating global tensions. This makes Blackbeard’s affordability, speed, and volume critical to U.S. comparative advantage.
This emphasis on deterrence through superior capabilities reflects the Trump administration’s long-standing commitment to advancing America’s hypersonic capabilities. During his first term, President Trump significantly increased Pentagon funding for hypersonic programs, from approximately $800 million in 2017 to more than $3.4 billion by 2020. During his second term, the administration continued this momentum with bold initiatives such as the Golden Dome missile defense system to counter hypersonic threats from Russia and China.
Companies like Castelion are well-positioned to continue winning contracts under Hegseth’s sweeping defense acquisition reforms, which prioritize speed, scalability and cost-effectiveness over traditional bureaucratic models.
Another senior Castelion employee, Cassie Miller, leads the startup’s government affairs and spoke candidly about the U.S. government’s request. She told RedState that the Army and Navy, two announced customers of the defense startup, are excited about what’s coming. “The urgency is extraordinary,” she said. “From customers, when you hear about them, which a lot of people don’t say in the media, they will say straight up that they’re waiting for Blackbeard.”
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