# Hypersonics — Program Element 0604182A

**Program element:** 0604182A  
**Component:** U.S. Army  
**Appropriation:** 2040 — RDT&E, Army  
**Budget Activity:** 4 — Advanced Component Development & Prototypes  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604182A

## Summary

U.S. Army funding ramps 232% to a $82.9M request in FY2027, before stepping down 66% across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full. Castelion leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 0.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 25.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 82.9 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 107.0 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 38.0 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 28.0 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 28.0 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 82.9 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 82.9 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 82.9 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 82.9 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (2)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DP1 | HIMARS Extended Range Demo (HERD) | — | — | 82.9 | new start |
| HX3 | All Up Round and Canister (AUR+C) | — | 25.0 | — | −100% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project DP1 — HIMARS Extended Range Demo (HERD)

The mission of Blackbeard - Ground Launch (GL) is to attack/neutralize/suppress/destroy using an advanced missile delivered precision fires (seeker based) against time sensitive moving targets and hardened targets at a much-reduced cost per missile than current existing options in the Army inventory. Blackbeard - GL will be an affordable, mass-produced advanced weapon designed for mid-range precision. The Army will leverage advancements in technology, materials, and cost-effective production methods to provide superior capabilities through fast, iterative design cycles, flexible hardware development, and modern manufacturing practices. Blackbeard - GL will offer a complementary but enhanced survivable advanced precision strike capability, utilizing existing Army launcher platforms. Blackbeard - GL is not a replacement to the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapons (LRHW) as it will not reach similar velocities nor range. Key features include integration into modified Multiple Launch Rocket Systems Family of Munitions (MFOM) pods and enhanced target discrimination capabilities. Funding will support development, system flight tests, software validation, and full integration into the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) platform, which will expand HIMARS lethality. Blackbeard - GL is a companion development to the Army's Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher (CAML) effort which holds the potential to replace the base HIMARS launcher platform amongst other launchers. While envisioned as a primary munition for CAML, Blackbeard - GL is designed to be compatible with existing HIMARS platforms as an interim solution. The HIMARS Extended Range Demo (HERD) project supports the Army's Long Range Precision Fires (LRPF) modernization priority by demonstrating the feasibility and performance of integrating a qualified, extended-range Blackbeard - Ground Launch (GL) advanced strike missile into the HIMARS launcher system. This demonstration will assess the potential to achieve a significantly reduced cost for high-speed strike capability complementing existing PrSM capabilities.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** Castelion (41.0, 49%), Program Management Support (8.3, 10%), Other Management Support (5.4, 6.5%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| HIMARS Extended Range Demo (HERD) | — | — | 82.9 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

### Project HX3 — All Up Round and Canister (AUR+C)

The mission of Blackbeard - Ground Launch (GL) is to attack/neutralize/suppress/destroy using an advanced missile delivered precision fires (seeker based) against time sensitive moving targets and hardened targets at a much-reduced cost per missile than currently exists in the Army inventory. Blackbeard - GL will be an affordable, mass-produced advanced weapon designed for mid-range precision. The Army will leverage advancements in technology, materials, and cost-effective production methods to provide superior capabilities through fast, iterative design cycles, flexible hardware development, and modern manufacturing practices. Blackbeard - GL will offer a complementary but enhanced survivable advanced precision strike capability, utilizing existing Army launcher platforms. Blackbeard - GL is not a replacement to the Long Range Hypersonic Weapons (LRHW) as it will not reach similar velocities nor range. The goal of Blackbeard - GL is to deliver approximately 80% of the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Increment 4 capability at a significantly reduced cost. Key features include integration into modified Multiple Launch Rocket Systems Family of Munitions (MFOM) pods and enhanced target discrimination capabilities. Funding will support development, system flight tests, software validation, and full integration into the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) platform, which will expand HIMARS lethality. Blackbeard - GL is a companion development to the Army's Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher (CAML) effort which holds the potential to replace the base HIMARS launcher platform amongst other launchers. While envisioned as a primary munition for CAML, Blackbeard - GL is designed to be compatible with existing HIMARS platforms as an interim solution.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| HIMARS Extended Range Demo (HERD) | — | 25.0 | — |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 66% | 54.7 |
| Other / unspecified | 34% | 28.2 |

**Top named industry performers:** Castelion ($41.0M, 49%), Program Management Support ($8.3M, 10%), Other Management Support ($5.4M, 6.5%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The mission of Blackbeard - Ground Launch (GL) is to attack/neutralize/suppress/destroy using an advanced missile delivered precision fires (seeker based) against time sensitive moving targets and hardened targets at a much-reduced cost per missile than current existing options in the Army inventory. Blackbeard - GL will be an affordable, mass-produced advanced weapon designed for mid-range precision. The Army will leverage advancements in technology, materials, and cost-effective production methods to provide superior capabilities through fast, iterative design cycles, flexible hardware development, and modern manufacturing practices.

In August 2025, the program office awarded a contract to accelerate development and leverage innovation. The contract is a Fixed-Firm-Price (FFP), sole-source, Other Transaction Authority for Prototyping (OTAP) with Castelion Corporation, a non-traditional defense contractor, with a phased scope designed to mitigate risk and provide clear decision points: * Phase 1 (Base): This phase will deliver a prototype proof-of-concept, including a fixed-fin flight demonstration of the existing air-launched, extended-range Blackbeard design from a modified Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) Multiple Launch Rocket System Family of Munitions (MFOM) pod.

## Related program elements

- [0605232A — Hypersonics EMD](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605232A) (Army)
- [0305220F — RQ-4 UAV](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0305220F) (Air Force)
- [0605450M — Joint Air-to-ground Missile (JAGM)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605450M) (Navy)
- [0605812A — Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase (EMD)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605812A) (Army)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Army RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0604182A (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0604182A")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*