[Trump Increases $1.5 Trillion in War Spending, 'SpaceX-affiliated' Defense Startup Enters Hypersonic Missile Race] BlockBeats reports that on June 30, the Trump administration proposed an unprecedented $1.5 trillion defense budget request while advancing procurement system reforms, emphasizing speed and efficiency. The reason cited is that U.S. military stockpiles have been depleted by multiple wars. This trend is sparking a new wave of competition among states for defense manufacturing investments and job opportunities. A startup company, Castelion, founded by three former SpaceX employees, is applying SpaceX's business model to the hypersonic missile sector. The company has already signed contracts with various military branches, committing to deliver at least 500 missiles annually under a "fixed-price contract" model, shifting cost risks from the government to the contractor, in contrast to the traditional "cost-plus" model. The company has raised over $550 million in private capital to date. After a year-long site selection process, Castelion ultimately chose Sandoval County, New Mexico, to build a 1,000-acre manufacturing campus. The project involves a total investment of $220 million and is expected to create 300 high-paying jobs, generating $650 million in economic benefits over the next decade. The state stood out due to its ample land resources, talent pool from Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, and an efficient bipartisan government coordination mechanism. The company stated that just six months after breaking ground, construction has already begun on 15 of the 21 planned buildings within the campus. [Original Link]