Hypersonic weapon startup Castailion According to the sources and documents viewed by Techcrunch, LightSpeed is increasing the $ 350 million series B led by venture partners and ultimeter capital.
The round, which gives importance to the company in billions, is expected to be closed in a few weeks. A term sheet has been signed. The new round comes on a $ 100 million heels in the funding closing in January. The round was made up of a loan of about $ 70 million and $ 30 million in equity. Lightspide also led the era.
Castelines refused to comment.
It is difficult for non -nominated players to break up in the government defense market on a large scale, but Castellian has made remarkable progress Since it has emerged secretly At the end of 2023. The company, which was founded by former SpaceX officials, wants to change the production of an important national security technology, hypersonic missile system.
Despite the large -scale budget of the US Department of Defense, military leaders are playing alarm on China’s ability to grow rapidly and field hypersonics. These weapons travel above 5 – and China’s abilities have begun to beat the United States.
Castelion is proposing a solution. Business takes a similar approach to Spacex: Build quickly, do repeated tests, and integrate vertically to reduce the cost. It has already won grants and prizes from a suit from DOD offices, including Air Force Research Laboratory and Naval Air Systems Command. The company tested its hypersonic vehicle for the first time in the Mojave Desert in March as it seems to the government to prove that it could field low -cost hypersonic missiles on a scale.
Castellian US Army’s financial year 2026 appeared Budget request Published in June. In the budget, the military branch has requested $ 25 million under an initiative called Project HX3, which supports the development and testing of the “inexpensive, large -scale hypersonic weapons” called Blackbird Ground Launch (GL). As the documents suggest, the Blackbird GL will have about 80% of the capacity of long -range hypersonic weapons variants currently being developed by aerospace prime. But through the contract, the army is saying that it is ready to trade slight speed and range for low cost products.
The upcoming contract, which is an essential deal after signing the budget in the law of President Trump, is two stages: the first Castelian will be distributed “prototype proof-off-concept”, which will showcase it in early 2026. If this is successful, the second phase will include delivery of 10 prototype missiles in 2027, which is for additional testing using a high mobility platform. Blackbird is also being designed to be compatible with a new launcher system that will have autonomous capabilities.
All previous wins with Dod are a bile compared to the possibilities given by the market of attractive hypersonic-weeks. If the army field test goes well, the Castellian may make a large contract and start distributing blackbird missiles in early 2028.
Lockheed Martin, Rethionon and Northrop Grumman want to see their back.
