# AFRICOM Awards Merlin Morocco Evacuation Demo

U.S. Africa Command awarded Merlin a **$500,000 contract** to demonstrate autonomous casualty evacuation using a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan. The demonstration is planned for Morocco in early U.S. fiscal year 2027 and will test onboard mission planning, navigation, contingency response, and operation during communications loss in austere conditions. Any operational-scale follow-on remains prospective.

- The award is a defined technology demonstration, not an operational-scale deployment; contractors should distinguish the funded effort from any future acquisition.
- The test focuses on end-to-end autonomy and resilience when communications are unavailable, relevant to firms developing autonomous aviation systems for defense missions.
- Companies pursuing related work can use the demonstration’s stated test areas—mission planning, navigation, and contingency response—to assess where their capabilities align with future requirements.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Artificial Intelligence
**Published:** November 11, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM)

### Vendors
- Merlin, Inc. (awardee)

### Sources
- [ Merlin Awarded Contract for U.S. Africa Command Autonomous Casualty Evacuation Technology Challenge

 | The Manila Times ](https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/11/11/tmt-newswire/globenewswire/merlin-awarded-contract-for-us-africa-command-autonomous-casualty-evacuation-technology-challenge/2467497) - The Manila Times