US military to test autonomous Cessna Caravan for casualty evacuation in Morocco

Boston-based Merlin has received a $500,000 contract from US Africa Command (AFRICOM) to demonstrate an autonomous casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) mission using a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Morocco, the company announced on November 11, 2026.

The award covers the initial phase of AFRICOM’s Autonomous CASEVAC Industry Technology Challenge, with the demonstration planned for early US government fiscal year 2027, which began on October 1, 2026.

The mission will run from tasking and flight planning through autonomous departure and flight to an austere casualty collection site. After simulated patient loading, the aircraft will autonomously complete the return flight and landing.

Merlin’s autonomous Cessna Caravan to conduct casualty evacuation

Merlin said Merlin Pilot is designed to manage flight planning, navigation, contingency response and mission completion without relying on a remote ground station or flight crew.

The software plans a route based on the operator’s tasking, replans around hazards, communicates with air traffic control using natural language processing, and continues along its authorized flight plan if communications are lost, according to the company.

Merlin has not said whether a safety pilot will be aboard for the demonstration. A safety pilot monitored the Caravan’s autonomous landing at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh on July 17, 2026, according to the company.

The Caravan’s large cargo door and flat cabin floor allow stretchers to be loaded at ground level without rotor downwash or winching equipment. The aircraft will carry an air ambulance medical module providing oxygen, power and mounts for patient monitoring equipment.

Why AFRICOM is exploring autonomous casualty evacuation

According to Merlin, AFRICOM operates across vast distances, where security threats and limited access to medical facilities can make casualty evacuation dangerous.

Conventional evacuation aircraft require crews, while remotely piloted ones depend on command-and-control links that may be unavailable in austere or contested environments.

The challenge seeks autonomous solutions that could accelerate access to advanced medical care while reducing the number of personnel exposed to risk.

Matt George, Merlin’s CEO and founder, said long distances and unreliable communications complicate efforts to get wounded noncombatants and service members to surgical care.

Onboard autonomy “could help overcome those constraints by accomplishing the CASEVAC mission from end to end,” he said, including when communications are disrupted.

Merlin eyes King Air expansion and advances C-130J autonomy program

Merlin sees a King Air variant as a potential path to operational deployment, offering twin-engine redundancy, greater payload and cabin space for multiple stretcher patients, medical equipment and an in-flight attendant.

The company also links the CASEVAC project to its C-130J autonomy program with US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), which carries a $105 million indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract ceiling, according to Merlin’s SEC filings.

Merlin completed the program’s critical design review on June 4, 2026. On November 10, 2026, it announced an $8.9 million task order covering system integration, ground test preparation, cybersecurity assessment and airworthiness acceptance ahead of future flight demonstrations.

The US Air Force approved Merlin’s airworthiness plan for KC-135 testing in November 2024, while in September 2026 the company unveiled a pilotless SkyCourier concept with Textron Aviation for military resupply.

Merlin began trading on Nasdaq on March 17, 2026, after merging with Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. IV.

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