Merlin’s $500,000 U.S. Africa Command Contract and the Case for Autonomous Casualty Evacuation

U.S. Africa Command Awarded Merlin a Contract for Its Autonomous Casualty Evacuation Challenge

Here’s Why We Believe the Mission, and the Theater Where It Will Be Flown, Matter for Merlin Pilot

U.S. Africa Command covers 53 African states across a land mass the command puts at three and a half times the size of the United States, directed from headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany.[1] In an area that large, security threats can prevent access to nearby medical facilities, often forcing longer and more dangerous patient transport for a wounded service member or noncombatant, with unreliable communications along the way. AFRICOM’s Autonomous Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) Industry Technology Challenge seeks a long-term, reliable, low-risk solution to that gap. Merlin competed for the initial phase of the challenge, and AFRICOM awarded us a $500,000 contract to demonstrate capability, which will fund a demonstration planned for early this coming December - the federal government’s fiscal year 2027 - in Morocco.[2]

Casualty evacuation in these conditions historically has relied on crewed aircraft, which put a flight crew at risk. Up to now, existing remotely piloted systems have needed a command link that austere or contested areas may not provide. Merlin Pilot is designed to keep the flying decisions on board, including staying on its authorized plan if a communications link is lost. During the Morocco demonstration, we plan for Merlin Pilot to demonstrate its capabilities across a full mission, from initial tasking and flight planning continuing through autonomous departure and enroute flight to an austere casualty collection site. Following simulated patient loading, the plan is for the aircraft to conduct its return mission, autonomously completing the flight and landing back at the designated location.[2]

We believe our readiness to fly the mission in early US federal fiscal year 2027 shows how far Merlin Pilot has come over hundreds of autonomous flights across multiple airframes and for multiple use cases. As Matt George, our CEO, put it, “Casualty evacuation is ultimately about getting wounded noncombatants and service members to surgical care as quickly and safely as possible: a mission made more difficult by long distances and unreliable communications. Onboard autonomy could help overcome those constraints by accomplishing the CASEVAC mission from end to end, even when communications are disrupted."[2]

Forward-Looking Statements

This post contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements regarding the timing, location, and scope of the planned AFRICOM demonstration; the ability of the Merlin Pilot system to complete autonomous CASEVAC missions; Merlin's expectations regarding potential follow-on opportunities, or expansion of its relationship with AFRICOM or other government customers; the potential extension of Merlin Pilot's autonomous capabilities to additional aircraft platforms; and the potential future applications of Merlin's technology across other combatant commands, allied forces, civil operators, and disaster response or medical transport missions. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, assumptions, and projections about future events and trends. These forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including without limitation the risks and uncertainties detailed under the section entitled “Risk Factors”; of our final prospectus, dated May 13, 2026, filed with the SEC on May 13, 2026, and in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. Except as required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.