A Super Hornet launched from Naval Air Station Patuxent River on September 18 with two Blackbeard hypersonic missiles attached to its wing pylons, marking a step toward operational use of the weapon system. The flight test, announced by the Navy on September 30, validated the missile’s ability to be carried and launched from a carrier‑based fighter. Blackbeard, officially called the Multi‑mission Affordable Capacity Effector, was acquired to give carrier air wings an extended‑range, high‑speed strike option that can penetrate defended airspace. The Navy plans to achieve early operational capability for the missile this year and to field it in squadrons operating under U.S. Indo‑Pacific and Central Command areas. In a recent contract, the service awarded Castelion $200 million for 444 missiles, building on an initial purchase of 50 missiles secured in June. The procurement aligns with the Navy’s hedge strategy to develop cost‑effective, rapidly deployable kinetic mass. Developmental testing will continue at Patuxent River as the program moves toward live‑fire milestones. The missile’s emergence comes as the Pentagon emphasizes faster fielding of munitions that meet urgent needs, even when they do not satisfy every specification. Blackbeard joins other recently disclosed Navy air‑launched weapons, such as the AIM‑174B Gunslinger, AIM‑242 Malice and AIM‑260 air‑to‑air missiles, as well as upgraded LRASM variants, expanding the strike envelope of the Super Hornet beyond Cold War‑era capabilities.