The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has awarded a $250 million contract to Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) to accelerate technological advancements across U.S. military operations.
The five-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract, managed by DISA’s Acquisitions Enterprise Licensing Agreement Program Management Office, will provide support to the Department of Defense’s (DOD) fourth estate agencies, field activities, and combatant commands worldwide.
APL will deliver operational capabilities including scenario modeling, operations research and independent systems assessments. These services are expected to help military organizations validate concepts, optimize strategies and deploy field-ready solutions more efficiently and with lower risk.
Capabilities delivered under the contract include cyber resilience tools, autonomous systems, real-time analytics and decision optimization technologies aimed at improving battlefield readiness while cutting acquisition costs and timelines.
“The speed and precision at which APL delivers mission-tailored solutions is unmatched,” a U.S. Strategic Command partner said in a statement. “Their team doesn’t just bring technical knowledge; they bring contextual insight and agility we can count on.”
The simplified procurement process enabled by the IDIQ contract is designed to fast-track critical solutions for urgent warfighter needs, positioning APL as a strategic force multiplier as the military prepares for emerging threats, according to DISA.
As a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC), APL provides the government with independent, cost-effective engineering expertise and rapid technology deployment without commercial bias,” DISA explained.
DoD established the UARC in 1996 to build long-term strategic partnerships with university-affiliated nonprofit research organizations. Each UARC operates under a designated primary sponsor and focuses on core competencies – specialized areas of expertise essential to advancing the DoD’s engineering, research, and technology development priorities.