- Johns Hopkins APL has secured a sole-source Air Force research contract
- The award covers research support in IT and combat systems
- The 2027 Defense R&D Summit on Feb. 4 will spotlight defense innovation priorities
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, or APL, has received the potential five-year, $390 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from the U.S. Air Force to provide research support services.
Defense research organizations continue to support military programs spanning space, testing infrastructure and combat technologies. The Potomac Officers Club’s 2027 Defense R&D Summit on Feb. 4 will bring together government and industry leaders to discuss the research and development priorities shaping future defense capabilities. Book your spot now to join the conversation.
What Is the Scope of the Air Force Contract?
Under the sole-source IDIQ contract, APL will deliver research and development and engineering capabilities to the Air Force, the Department of War said Tuesday. The research support will cover space science and engineering, reentry test beds, IT, and combat systems. The laboratory will perform contract work in Laurel, Maryland, through September 2031.
The Air Force Research Laboratory’s space warfare directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico is the contracting activity and obligated fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation funds at the time of award.
What Other Defense Programs Is APL Supporting?
The latest contract follows a $199 million Air Force award in July for APL to support the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program. In 2025, APL secured a potential five-year, $250 million Defense Information Systems Agency contract for operations research, engineering and systems assessment services and a $389 million contract modification to provide research, development and engineering services for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
APL also serves as a technical direction agent for the U.S. Space Force’s Space-Based Interceptor program and is helping the U.S. Navy develop the AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band electronic warfare system.
