Castelion, a $13 Billion Startup, Aims to Close the U.S. Hypersonic Missile Gap
Why It MattersVenture-backed entrants are pressing into hypersonic weapons, a field where the U.S. has spent billions without fielding a system, which could reshape how defense programs are produced and funded.
Castelion, a Torrance, California-based startup valued at $13 billion, is working to produce and scale low-cost hypersonic missiles. The company was cofounded in 2022 by Bryon Hargis, Andrew Kreitz and Sean Pitt.
A hypersonic missile moves at least at Mach 5, five times the speed of sound, and unlike ballistic missiles it is maneuverable and can fly low, change course and evade radar. China and Russia have hypersonic missiles, while the U.S. has not fully fielded one despite years of research costing billions, owing to testing complications and production issues.
