Airbus and Mercury Systems Announce Strategic Teaming Agreement to Cooperate in Technology for Autonomous Flying

ANDOVER, Mass. and MUNICH, Germany, May 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Airbus Defence and Space and Mercury Systems, Inc., (NASDAQ: MRCY, ), a leader in trusted, secure mission-critical technologies for aerospace and defense, have announced today that they will cooperate in the field of autonomous and flight control computer programs.

Formalized by a Framework Cooperation Agreement, both industry-leading companies have shown their firm commitment to advance a strategic teaming agreement in research, demonstration, validation and certification of autonomous and flight control computer programs, especially algorithms and environment of execution.

The complementary capabilities of the Geneva-based Mercury Mission Systems International division in mission computing, safety-critical avionics and platform management capabilities for aerospace and defence platforms and Airbus Defence and Space as a global provider of military aircraft, defence systems and earth observation products/services will lead to delivering better solutions and products to customers.

Airbus Defence and Space Executive Vice-President Marketing and Sales Dr. Bernhard Brenner highlights the importance of this cooperation: “At Airbus we are committed to innovation and pioneering aerospace. By this cooperation we will further strengthen our activities in developing future solutions and products for both piloted or autonomous flying. As Mercury is one of our award-winning suppliers, I am particularly glad that we can extend our successful cooperation with this agreement. This agreement is also another commitment of Airbus to Swiss partners, especially in the security-relevant technology and industry base.”

“This important initiative further solidifies our longstanding relationship with Airbus to drive key advances in secure and trusted autonomous technology,” said Didier Thibaud, Mercury’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “At the intersection of hi-tech and defense, we collaborate with industry leaders like Airbus to deliver the most innovative, purpose-built mission computing solutions that help them meet their business commitments and further their leadership in the global market.”

Examples of successful cooperation between Airbus Defence and Space and Mercury are the development of a high-performance computing platform by Mercury for the Airbus A3R automatic air-refueling system onboard the A330 SMART MRTT Tanker aircraft and the contribution in equipment and systems for Airbus platforms such as the C295. In 2019, Mercury was awarded Best-Performer for Equipment & Systems by Airbus.

About Airbus

Airbus pioneers sustainable aerospace for a safe and united world. The Company constantly innovates to provide efficient and technologically-advanced solutions in aerospace, defence, and connected services. In commercial aircraft, Airbus offers modern and fuel-efficient airliners and associated services. Airbus is also a European leader in defence and security and one of the world's leading space businesses. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions and services worldwide.

About Mercury Systems

Mercury Systems is a global commercial technology company serving the aerospace and defense industry. Headquartered in Andover, Mass., USA, the company delivers trusted, secure open architecture processing solutions powering a broad range of mission-critical applications in the most challenging and demanding environments. Inspired by its purpose of delivering Innovation that Matters, By and For People Who Matter, Mercury helps make the world a safer, more secure place for all.

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This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including those relating to the products and services described herein and to fiscal 2021 business performance and beyond and the Company’s plans for growth and improvement in profitability and cash flow. You can identify these statements by the use of the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “continue,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “likely,” “forecast,” “probable,” “potential,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, continued funding of defense programs, the timing and amounts of such funding, general economic and business conditions, including unforeseen weakness in the Company’s markets, effects of epidemics and pandemics such as COVID, effects of any U.S. federal government shutdown or extended continuing resolution, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in completing engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, changes in, or in the U.S. Government’s interpretation of, federal export control or procurement rules and regulations, market acceptance of the Company’s products, shortages in components, production delays or unanticipated expenses due to performance quality issues with outsourced components, inability to fully realize the expected benefits from acquisitions and restructurings, or delays in realizing such benefits, challenges in integrating acquired businesses and achieving anticipated synergies, increases in interest rates, changes to industrial security and cyber-security regulations and requirements, changes in tax rates or tax regulations, changes to interest rate swaps or other cash flow hedging arrangements, changes to generally accepted accounting principles, difficulties in retaining key employees and customers, unanticipated costs under fixed-price service and system integration engagements, and various other factors beyond our control. These risks and uncertainties also include such additional risk factors as are discussed in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 3, 2020. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made.

Mercury Systems and Innovation That Matters are registered trademarks of Mercury Systems, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

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