Top DoD research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology) contractors
In the 12 months ending Oct 5, 2026, the Department of Defense obligated $30.0B in net prime contract dollars under NAICS 541715, down 12.5% from $34.3B in the preceding 12 months. 3,944 prime contractors received positive obligations, and 81 of them accounted for 80% of that spend.
Prime contracts funded by the Department of Defense. Latest 12 months: Oct 6, 2025 to Oct 5, 2026. Source: USAspending.gov.
DoD publishes contract data to USAspending with a 90-day delay, so the most recent months understate DoD activity.
Obligations by fiscal year
Net prime contract obligations by federal fiscal year (October to September).
Top DoD contractors for NAICS 541715
Ranked by positive obligations in the latest 12 months. Share is of all positive obligations in this market.
| # | Contractor | Latest 12 mo | Prior 12 mo | Share | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lockheed Martin Corporation | $3.9B | $3.2B | 12.9% | — |
| 2 | Fluor Marine Propulsion, LLC | $2.3B | $1.8B | 7.8% | ▲ 1 |
| 3 | Raytheon Company | $1.9B | $193.8M | 6.3% | ▲ 23 |
| 4 | Lockheed Martin Corp | $1.8B | $2.0B | 5.9% | ▼ 2 |
| 5 | The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC | $1.3B | $1.6B | 4.3% | ▼ 1 |
| 6 | Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation | $1.2B | $1.5B | 4.0% | ▼ 1 |
| 7 | The Aerospace Corporation | $940.1M | $1.2B | 3.1% | ▼ 1 |
| 8 | Booz Allen Hamilton Inc | $774.6M | $1.0B | 2.6% | ▼ 1 |
| 9 | The MITRE Corporation | $644.8M | $742.5M | 2.1% | — |
| 10 | KBR Wyle Services, LLC | $557.8M | $772.5M | 1.9% | ▼ 2 |
| 11 | The Pennsylvania State University | $468.6M | $334.7M | 1.6% | ▲ 10 |
| 12 | Leidos, Inc. | $424.9M | $531.3M | 1.4% | ▲ 1 |
| 13 | Deloitte Consulting LLP | $372.4M | $161.1M | 1.2% | ▲ 15 |
| 14 | Georgia Tech Applied Research Corp | $331.2M | $369.1M | 1.1% | ▲ 5 |
| 15 | Parsons Government Services Inc. | $326.8M | $545.4M | 1.1% | ▼ 3 |
What changed in the last 12 months
Contractors with the largest change in reported obligations versus the preceding 12 months.
Largest gains
- Raytheon Company$193.8M → $1.9B (+$1.7B) · now #3
- Lockheed Martin Corporation$3.2B → $3.9B (+$655.0M) · now #1
- Fluor Marine Propulsion, LLC$1.8B → $2.3B (+$506.9M) · now #2
Largest declines
- Aevex Aerospace, LLC$665.7M → $43.4M (−$622.3M) · now #83
- HII Mission Technologies Corp$635.1M → $289.9M (−$345.3M) · now #21
- Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation$1.5B → $1.2B (−$321.8M) · now #6
New to this market
1937 contractors received their first obligations in this market (since FY2022) during the latest 12 months. The largest:
| Contractor | First obligation | Latest 12 mo |
|---|---|---|
| Planewave Instruments Inc | May 19, 2026 | $22.1M |
| Techximius Corporation | Jan 16, 2026 | $16.0M |
| Vista Innovative Solutions, LLC | Dec 19, 2025 | $10.6M |
| Akima Systems Engineering LLC | May 18, 2026 | $7.0M |
| Mainsail - Oasis Joint Venture LLC | Feb 24, 2026 | $5.7M |
| Starlo Innovation, LLC | Mar 4, 2026 | $5.7M |
| Robbins-Gioia, LLC | May 1, 2026 | $5.4M |
| Software Engineering Services Corp | Dec 19, 2025 | $5.3M |
Where the money comes from
Funding sub-agencies within the Department of Defense, latest 12 months. The funding organization can differ from the office that runs the requirement.
| Funding sub-agency | Latest 12 mo | Prior 12 mo | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of the Air Force | $8.3B | $11.8B | Down $3.5B (29.9%) |
| Department of the Navy | $8.3B | $9.5B | Down $1.3B (13.2%) |
| Missile Defense Agency | $4.7B | $3.9B | Up $738.2M (18.8%) |
| Department of the Army | $3.5B | $4.7B | Down $1.2B (26.0%) |
| Immediate Office of the Secretary of Defense | $3.0B | $1.5B | Up $1.6B (104.3%) |
| Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency | $847.0M | $1.2B | Down $376.0M (30.7%) |
Potential recompetes
Large awards in this market whose current period of performance ends in the next 18 months. Treat these as research leads: options, extensions, and follow-on vehicles often change the timing.
| Award | Incumbent | Obligated | Current end |
|---|---|---|---|
| FA862025FB072 | Aevex Aerospace, LLC BIG SAFARI | $645.8M | Dec 31, 2026 |
| W56KGU25F0015 | The MITRE Corporation THIS TASK ORDER PROVIDES FOR SYSTEMS ENGINEERING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND OTHER FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. | $681.4M | Dec 31, 2026 |
| 47QFCA23F0014 | Booz Allen Hamilton Inc ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT INTEGRATION AND TECHNOLOGYBASED SOLUTIONS EDITS | $547.2M | Feb 23, 2027 |
| N0001922C0041 | Lockheed Martin Corporation F-35 DEVELOPMENTAL FOUNDATION CONTRACT 3 - THIS CONTRACT PROVIDES A FOUNDATION, IN SUPPORT OF F-35 DEVELOPMENTAL FLIGHT TEST AT EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT… | $1.9B | Mar 31, 2027 |
| 47QFCA23F0024 | Parsons Government Services Inc. BOLD VENTURE | $534.8M | Apr 26, 2027 |
| FA807522F0030 | CACI, Inc. - Federal DIGITAL ENGINEERING AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION RESEARCH, ANALYSIS, AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE NAVY DIGITAL INTEGRATION SUPPORT CELL AND NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER, CRANE DIVISION | $485.1M | May 4, 2027 |
| 47QFCA24C0003 | Deloitte Consulting LLP THIS CONTRACT IS TO PROVIDE LABOR, MATERIALS, AND EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND THE SIZE AND CAPABILITY OF THE MARITIME SUBMARINE WORKFORCE AND INDUSTRIAL BASE AND SPEED… | $617.2M | Jul 14, 2027 |
| W31P4Q19C0058 | Lockheed Martin Corporation CRUISE MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEMS SENTINEL A4 RADAR DEVELOPMENT COMPETITIVE REQUIREMENT | $547.5M | Sep 13, 2027 |
| HQ085622F0001 | Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation GWS SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT (GFC, IDT, GSS, | $560.4M | Sep 30, 2027 |
| HQ085121C0001 | Lockheed Martin Corporation BASELINE J7.B DEVELOPMENT LOE | $1.4B | Mar 31, 2028 |
Common questions
Who are the top DoD contractors for NAICS 541715?
In the latest 12 months, Lockheed Martin Corporation ($3.9B), Fluor Marine Propulsion, LLC ($2.3B), Raytheon Company ($1.9B) received the most DoD obligations for research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology).
How concentrated is this market?
The eight largest primes held 46.8% of positive obligations, and Lockheed Martin Corporation alone held 12.9%. 1937 contractors won their first obligations in this market during the latest 12 months.
Are any large DoD NAICS 541715 contracts ending soon?
10 of the largest awards in this market reach their current end date in the next 18 months. The first is FA862025FB072 (Aevex Aerospace, LLC, $645.8M obligated), ending Dec 31, 2026. An end date is a research lead, not a confirmed recompete: options and extensions often move it.
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$47.8MFigures are net obligations on prime contracts (award types A–D) from USAspending.gov, grouped by funding agency and the NAICS code on each award. Net obligations include deobligations and corrections, so they can differ from positive-obligation totals. See methodology.
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