Mercury Systems and Lockheed Martin to Advance Defense Manufacturing Capabilities in Switzerland

Rhea-AI Summary

Mercury Mission Systems International SA partners with Lockheed Martin to advance defense technologies manufacturing in Switzerland. The collaboration aims to bring cutting-edge defense technologies to Switzerland through the transfer of key security-relevant technologies. Mercury expects further expansion opportunities to enhance capabilities in the European market.

Defense Industry Analyst

The collaboration between Mercury Mission Systems International and Lockheed Martin to advance the manufacturing of defense technologies in Switzerland represents a strategic move within the defense sector. This partnership under the offset program aligns with the broader trend of defense localization, where countries seek to bolster their domestic industries through defense contracts.

The transfer of software-defined radio and cryptology technologies to Swiss industry is noteworthy. These technologies are critical for secure communication and data processing in military applications. The move could enhance Switzerland's technological sovereignty and provide a competitive edge to Mercury in the European defense market.

Investors should note the potential for long-term growth as Mercury's production capabilities expand. However, the defense industry is subject to geopolitical risks and regulatory scrutiny. The success of this initiative will depend on continued government support and the ability to maintain technological advancements.

Financial Analyst

The announcement by Mercury Systems could signal a positive outlook for the company's financial performance. The engineering development agreements are likely to lead to increased production activities, which could translate into higher revenue streams from defense contracts. Investors should monitor the company's future financial disclosures for capital expenditures related to the facility expansion and the impact on profit margins.

Additionally, the expansion into Switzerland may open up further opportunities within the European defense market. This diversification can be beneficial for risk management. However, investors should be cautious about the execution risks associated with scaling up operations and the potential for cost overruns during the initial phase of manufacturing.

Economic Analyst

The economic implications of Mercury's expansion into Switzerland through its collaboration with Lockheed Martin could be significant for the local economy. The creation of high-tech jobs and the development of advanced manufacturing capabilities are likely to contribute positively to Switzerland's GDP. Moreover, the emphasis on transferring key technologies may stimulate innovation and growth within the local defense technology ecosystem.

From a broader perspective, such strategic partnerships can reinforce Switzerland's position in the international defense market. However, the reliance on military contracts can also make the economic benefits subject to fluctuations in defense spending and international relations.

GENEVA, March 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mercury Mission Systems International SA (www.mrcy.com), a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing power to the edge, today announced that it will advance the manufacturing of defense technologies in Switzerland in collaboration with Lockheed Martin. This project is a direct result of the offset program between Lockheed Martin and the Swiss government as part of Switzerland’s purchase of the F-35 Lightning II.

Under two initial engineering development agreements, Mercury will begin manufacturing several embedded computing technologies at its production facility in Geneva. These projects will be enabled by the transfer of two of armasuisses’s key security-relevant technologies–software-defined radio technologies and cryptology–to Swiss industry. Mercury expects to receive further expansion opportunities over time to bring the manufacture of additional capabilities to Switzerland.

“We are thrilled to work with Lockheed Martin to bring the manufacture of cutting-edge defense technologies to Switzerland,” said Paul Tanner, VP and GM of Mercury International. “These agreements will expand the Mercury Processing Platform and allow us to bring new, advanced capabilities to the European market.”

With high-tech facilities and workforces in Switzerland, as well as Spain and the United Kingdom, the Mercury Processing Platform enables capabilities that support the critical missions and industrial development of U.S. allies through offset and other agreements.

“Lockheed Martin is proud to partner with Mercury as they expand the capability of their facility in Switzerland,” said Karl Sapienza, director of F-35 Customer Programs at Lockheed Martin. “We look forward to continuing to build on our partnership with Swiss industry to drive collaboration and advance opportunity through the F-35 offset program.”

Mercury Systems – Innovation that matters^®
Mercury Systems is a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing power to the edge, making advanced technologies profoundly more accessible for today’s most challenging aerospace and defense missions. The Mercury Processing Platform allows customers to tap into innovative capabilities from silicon to system scale, turning data into decisions on timelines that matter. Mercury’s products and solutions are deployed in more than 300 programs and across 35 countries, enabling a broad range of applications in mission computing, sensor processing, command and control, and communications. Mercury is headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, and has 24 locations worldwide. To learn more, visit mrcy.com. (Nasdaq: MRCY)

Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement
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 Company's focus on enhanced execution of the Company's strategic plan under a refreshed Board and leadership team. You can identify these statements by 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 any U.S. federal government shutdown or extended continuing resolution, effects of geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in or cost increases related to completing development, 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, changes in, or in the interpretation or enforcement of, environmental rules and regulations, market acceptance of the Company's products, shortages in or delays in receiving components, supply chain delays or volatility for critical components such as semiconductors, production delays or unanticipated expenses including due to quality issues or manufacturing execution issues, capacity underutilization, increases in scrap or inventory write-offs, failure to achieve or maintain manufacturing quality certifications, such as AS9100, the impact of supply chain disruption, inflation and labor shortages, among other things, on program execution and the resulting effect on customer satisfaction, inability to fully realize the expected benefits from acquisitions, restructurings, and operational efficiency initiatives or delays in realizing such benefits, challenges in integrating acquired businesses and achieving anticipated synergies, effects of shareholder activism, increases in interest rates, changes to industrial security and cyber-security regulations and requirements and impacts from any cyber or insider threat events, changes in tax rates or tax regulations, such as the deductibility of internal research and development, changes to interest rate swaps or other cash flow hedging arrangements, changes to generally accepted accounting principles, difficulties in retaining key employees and customers, litigation, including the dispute arising with the former CEO over his resignation, 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 June 30, 2023 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. 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.

INVESTOR CONTACT
Nelson Erickson
Senior Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development
Nelson.Erickson@mrcy.com

MEDIA CONTACT
Turner Brinton
Senior Director, Corporate Communications
Turner.Brinton@mrcy.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b60ecd63-0cd4-421b-901f-085f0b3683f5

What is the collaboration between Mercury Mission Systems International SA and Lockheed Martin about?

The collaboration aims to advance the manufacturing of defense technologies in Switzerland.

Which technologies will Mercury be manufacturing in Switzerland?

Mercury will begin manufacturing embedded computing technologies, including software-defined radio technologies and cryptology.

Where will Mercury manufacture these technologies?

Mercury will manufacture these technologies at its production facility in Geneva, Switzerland.

What expansion opportunities does Mercury expect?

Mercury expects further expansion opportunities to bring the manufacture of additional capabilities to Switzerland.

What is the Mercury Processing Platform?

The Mercury Processing Platform delivers mission-critical processing power to the edge, making advanced technologies more accessible for aerospace and defense missions.