Leidos joins Anduril in U.S. Air Force design deal

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory awarded Leidos an indefinite-delivery contract with an $85 million ceiling under the VOLARE digital-design program. The company joins Anduril in a multi-award competition to develop software for aircraft-level modeling and methods for designing thermal-management systems. Work will occur in Dayton through September 2036, while individual task orders determine actual funding and scope. No money was obligated on the base agreement, although a first task order used $75,000 in fiscal 2026 research funds, so the ceiling should not be read as an immediate $85 million payment.