The Short Answer

Thousands of companies hold U.S. military contracts, ranging from trillion-dollar primes like Lockheed Martin to one-person machine shops. In FY2025, the Department of Defense obligated approximately $460 billion in contract spending across more than 100,000 vendors. However, the top 25 contractors account for roughly 55% of all DOD contract dollars. Below is the complete ranked breakdown.

Top 25 DOD Contractors by Contract Obligations (FY2025)

|------|---------|------------------------|---------------------|

| 1 | **Lockheed Martin** | $75.2B | F-35, missiles, space systems, C4ISR |

| 2 | **RTX (Raytheon)** | $38.4B | Missile defense, engines (Pratt & Whitney), sensors |

| 3 | **Boeing** | $28.7B | KC-46 tanker, F/A-18, satellites, MQ-25 |

| 4 | **Northrop Grumman** | $26.1B | B-21 bomber, space systems, autonomous systems |

| 5 | **General Dynamics** | $24.8B | Submarines, Abrams tanks, IT services (GDIT) |

| 6 | **BAE Systems** | $14.3B | Combat vehicles, electronic warfare, munitions |

| 7 | **L3Harris Technologies** | $12.9B | Communications, ISR, space payloads |

| 8 | **Huntington Ingalls** | $11.2B | Aircraft carriers, submarines, nuclear refueling |

| 9 | **Leidos** | $8.7B | IT modernization, intelligence, health |

| 10 | **SAIC** | $5.1B | Systems engineering, IT, training |

| 11 | **Booz Allen Hamilton** | $4.8B | Consulting, cyber, analytics |

| 12 | **CACI International** | $4.2B | Intelligence, cyber, electronic warfare |

| 13 | **Textron** | $3.9B | Bell helicopters, simulators, armored vehicles |

| 14 | **Perspecta/Maximus** | $3.5B | Enterprise IT, health IT, citizen services |

| 15 | **Amentum** | $3.4B | Facility operations, environmental, nuclear |

| 16 | **KBR** | $3.1B | Logistics, engineering, science |

| 17 | **General Atomics** | $2.9B | MQ-9 Reaper, electromagnetic launch systems |

| 18 | **Rolls-Royce** | $2.7B | Military engines, nuclear propulsion |

| 19 | **Honeywell** | $2.5B | Navigation, avionics, propulsion |

| 20 | **Sierra Nevada Corp** | $2.3B | Dream Chaser, electronic systems, ISR aircraft |

| 21 | **Palantir** | $2.1B | Data analytics, Maven, TITAN |

| 22 | **Anduril** | $1.8B | Autonomous systems, counter-UAS, Lattice |

| 23 | **ManTech (now Carlyle)** | $1.6B | Cyber, intelligence, IT |

| 24 | **Parsons** | $1.5B | Missile defense, space, cyber |

| 25 | **TransDigm** | $1.4B | Sole-source spare parts, components |

*Figures are approximate based on publicly available FPDS data and company reporting. Track real-time obligations on [Fed-Spend](/search).*

Breakdown by Military Branch

DOD spending is not evenly distributed. Each branch has distinct procurement patterns and preferred vendors.

Army (~$140B in contracts)

**Dominant primes:** General Dynamics (combat vehicles), BAE Systems (artillery, munitions), Lockheed Martin (helicopters, missiles)

**Growth areas:** Hypersonics, long-range precision fires, network modernization

**Small business share:** ~24% of prime contract dollars

Navy/Marine Corps (~$155B in contracts)

**Dominant primes:** Huntington Ingalls (carriers, subs), General Dynamics (submarines via Electric Boat), Boeing (F/A-18, MQ-25)

**Growth areas:** Columbia-class submarine program, unmanned surface vessels, shipyard modernization

**Small business share:** ~20% of prime contract dollars

Air Force (~$120B in contracts)

**Dominant primes:** Lockheed Martin (F-35), Northrop Grumman (B-21), RTX/Pratt & Whitney (engines), Boeing (tankers)

**Growth areas:** NGAD/CCA programs, space launch, autonomous wingmen

**Small business share:** ~22% of prime contract dollars

Space Force (~$30B in contracts)

**Dominant primes:** Lockheed Martin (GPS III), Northrop Grumman (ground systems), SpaceX (launch), L3Harris (payloads)

**Growth areas:** Proliferated LEO constellation, space domain awareness, responsive launch

**Small business share:** ~18% of prime contract dollars

Defense Agencies (DARPA, DISA, MDA, DLA — ~$65B)

These agencies fund advanced R&D, IT infrastructure, missile defense, and logistics

Higher percentage of service contracts vs. hardware

**Small business share varies:** DLA exceeds 35%; DARPA/MDA closer to 15%

How Small Businesses Win DOD Contracts

The DOD has a statutory small business contracting goal of 23% of prime contract dollars and consistently reports achieving it. In practice, that translates to over $100 billion annually flowing to small businesses.

Key Entry Points

**Set-aside contracts:** DOD posts thousands of small business set-asides annually across 8(a), SDVOSB, HUBZone, and WOSB categories

**Mentor-protege programs:** Every top-25 prime runs a mentor-protege program as a DOD compliance requirement

**SBIR/STTR:** Over $2 billion annually in DOD R&D funding reserved for small innovative firms

**AbilityOne:** Mandatory source contracts for qualifying nonprofits employing people with disabilities

Subcontracting With Primes

For contracts above $750,000, large primes must submit subcontracting plans with small business targets. This creates a massive sub-tier market.

| Prime | Reported Small Biz Sub % | How to Find Opportunities |

|-------|--------------------------|--------------------------|

| Lockheed Martin | ~33% of subs | supplierconnection.lockheedmartin.com |

| RTX | ~35% of subs | rtx.com/suppliers |

| Boeing | ~30% of subs | boeing.com/company/doing-business-with-boeing |

| Northrop Grumman | ~32% of subs | northropgrumman.com/suppliers |

| General Dynamics | ~28% of subs | gd.com/suppliers |

You can also use the DOD Subcontracting Directory at dodsubcontracting.com to identify subcontracting contacts at every large prime.

Tracking Military Contracts in Real Time

Public data on DOD contracts is available through FPDS and USASpending.gov, but both are difficult to search at scale. Fed-Spend aggregates these sources and adds recompete tracking, so you can monitor when major DOD vehicles are expiring, which incumbents hold them, and when replacement solicitations are likely.

Key signals to watch:

**Period of performance end dates** within 12 months

**Bridge contracts or short extensions** on large DOD programs

**Sources Sought notices** from DOD buying commands

**Budget line item changes** in the President's Budget Request

FAQ

What company has the most military contracts?

Lockheed Martin holds the most U.S. military contracts by dollar value, with approximately $75 billion in annual DOD obligations. They are the sole manufacturer of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the DOD's largest acquisition program, and hold major contracts across missiles, space systems, rotary-wing aircraft, and C4ISR. The next largest is RTX (Raytheon) at roughly $38 billion.

Can small businesses get military contracts?

Yes. The DOD awards over $100 billion annually to small businesses through prime contracts, subcontracts, and SBIR/STTR programs. Set-aside programs (8(a), SDVOSB, HUBZone, WOSB) reduce competition, and sole-source thresholds allow agencies to award up to $4.5 million to 8(a) firms without competition. The biggest opportunity for small businesses is often subcontracting with the top 25 primes, who must meet small business subcontracting plan requirements.

How do I find out who has a specific military contract?

Search FPDS.gov or USASpending.gov using the contract number, agency, or keywords. Fed-Spend provides a faster search experience with incumbent tracking and recompete alerts. You can also check SAM.gov for active solicitations and awards, or search the DOD contract announcements published daily at defense.gov/News/Contracts.

[Search military contracts →](/search)