The University of Dayton Research Institute has received a potential $850 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from the U.S. Air Force to support engineering, manufacturing, and research and development activities for the service’s Rapid Sustainment Office.
The 2026 Air and Space Summit, hosted by the Potomac Officers Club, will gather government and industry stakeholders to discuss developments affecting the air and space mission areas. Scheduled for July 30, the event will feature keynote speakers and panel sessions examining service priorities, emerging technologies and collaboration between the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Space Force and the private sector. Register now.
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What Work Will the Contract Support?
The Department of War said Thursday the contract covers efforts to maintain operational capabilities, including laboratories, essential to identifying, integrating, scaling and transitioning sustainment technologies. Work will take place in Dayton, Ohio, through March 15, 2033.
The Air Force obligated several funding sources at the time of award, including $15.4 million in fiscal 2025 reconciliation funds, $26.4 million in fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance funds, and $4.7 million in fiscal 2026 other procurement funds.
The contract was awarded on a sole-source basis.
How Does the Contract Build on UDRI’s Air Force Work?
UDRI has supported multiple Air Force research initiatives in recent years.
In 2025, the organization received a potential $500 million Air Force Research Laboratory contract to develop and test technologies designed to improve operational systems and reduce lifecycle sustainment burdens, and secured a potential $98.5 million Air Force contract to conduct research aimed at improving counter-targeting and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
The institute was also among the vendors selected in 2024 for a $975 million Air Force contract to help the Rapid Sustainment Office develop and transition emerging technologies to improve the readiness of deployed weapon systems.
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