- Johns Hopkins APL will provide engineering and R&D services
- The research center has secured a cost-plus-fixed-fee term DARPA contract
- The 2027 Defense R&D Summit, set for Feb. 4, will highlight AI, unmanned systems and other defense innovations
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory a potential $499.8 million contract for engineering, research and development services.
Defense research investments are supporting work on technologies that will shape future military capabilities. The Potomac Officers Club’s 2027 Defense R&D Summit on Feb. 4 will explore these developments and their implications for the GovCon industry. Reserve your spot today.
What Is the Scope of the DARPA Contract?
The Department of War said Wednesday the cost-plus-fixed-fee term contract covers the establishment and maintenance of an essential engineering or developmental capability that applies scientific or technical research findings and theories in practice.
Johns Hopkins APL, a university-affiliated research center, will perform the work primarily in Laurel, Maryland, with ordering expected to conclude in October 2031.
DARPA awarded the contract on a sole-source basis. Funding for the minimum guaranteed amount will come with the initial task order.
What Other Defense Research Contracts Has APL Secured?
The award follows other research and engineering work APL has secured for defense agencies. In September, the laboratory received a potential $390 million Air Force research support contract covering areas such as space science, IT and combat systems. The Air Force awarded APL a $199.3 million contract in July for R&D engineering services supporting the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program.
In August 2025, the laboratory secured a potential five-year, $250 million contract from the Defense Information Systems Agency. The award covers operations research, advanced scenario modeling and systems assessments for the Department of War Fourth Estate agencies, field activities and combatant commands. That June, APL also received a $388.8 million DARPA contract modification for R&D and engineering services, bringing the cumulative value of the underlying contract to approximately $1.1 billion.
