Vehicle facts
- Agency
-
- Air Force Department of Defense
- Combined task order value
-
- $58,970,806 Current, with exercised options
- $79,678,719 Potential, with all options
- Last date to order 100% complete
- Shared ceiling 15% used
- $400,000,000.00
IDV award and task order details come from SAM.gov/FPDS.
About this vehicle
The Department of the Air Force established this Master IDIQ for Skyborg Prototyping, Experimentation and Autonomy Development on September 26, 2020, with a shared ceiling of $400 million. Ordering closed on July 21, 2025, and the vehicle is no longer accepting new task orders.
All 16 task orders awarded under SPEAD were issued between July and December 2020, concentrating the vehicle's entire activity into a single contracting cycle. Combined potential value across all awards is $79.7 million, of which $58.6 million (74 percent) has been obligated. The vehicle funds solely Air Force programs.
The scope centers on autonomous attritable aircraft prototyping and operational experimentation, delivering missionized prototypes and the first Skyborg air platform with modular hardware and software payloads incorporating the Skyborg autonomy core system and enabling manned-unmanned teaming. Task orders show two categories of work: small kick-off meetings awarded in September and July 2020 (ten orders ranging from $3,969 to $4,000 each), and three major host-aircraft prototyping and experimentation awards issued in December 2020 valued at $16.1 million, $25.7 million, and $37.8 million, respectively, all priced Cost Plus Fixed Fee.
Competition is concentrated among unmanned-systems specialists. Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems, Inc. holds the largest share with $37.8 million across two orders (approximately 48 percent of combined potential value). The Boeing Company and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. follow with $25.8 million and $16.1 million respectively. The remaining ten awards, valued at approximately $8 thousand combined, distributed among nine additional primes. The vehicle carries no set-aside designations; all awards are unrestricted.
The early completion of all task-order activity in 2020 and the closure of the ordering period in 2025 indicate this vehicle has reached end-of-life. New work under SPEAD is not available. Pursuit should target successor vehicles or direct Air Force autonomy and unmanned-systems development contracts.
Description
Skyborg is an autonomous attritable aircraft capable of achieving a diverse set of missions to generate massed combat power; delivering a future Air Force which can deter, blunt and defeat peer adversaries. The Skyborg Prototyping, Experimentation & Autonomy Development (SPEAD) contract will be used to deliver missionized prototypes in support of operational experimentation; and develop the first Skyborg air platform with modular hardware and software payloads that will incorporate the Skyborg autonomy core system and enable manned/unmanned teaming.
IDV awards
Show all 13
Latest task orders
Show all 16
Top awardees by obligations
| Rank | Awardee | Obligated | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems, Inc. | $37,775,575 | 64% |
| 2 | General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. | $15,728,529 | 27% |
| 3 | The Boeing Company | $5,044,267 | 9% |
| 4 | Sierra Technical Services, Inc. | $4,000 | <1% |
| 5 | Aerovironment, Inc. | $4,000 | <1% |
| 6 | Wichita State University | $4,000 | <1% |
| 7 | Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation | $3,998 | <1% |
| 8 | Nextgen Aeronautics, Inc. | $3,996 | <1% |
| 9 | Lockheed Martin Corporation | $3,991 | <1% |
| 10 | BAE Systems Controls Inc. | $3,969 | <1% |
"Minimum guarantee only" marks awardees whose obligations here are just the minimum order their contract guarantees.
Top funding agencies by obligations
| Rank | Funding agency | Obligated | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air Force | $58,586,691 | 100% |
Obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Obligated |
|---|---|
| FY2022 | $2,347,545 |
| FY2021 | $56,188,835 |
| FY2020 | $50,313 |
Quick answers
What is the SPEAD contract vehicle?
Skyborg Prototyping, Experimentation and Autonomy Development (SPEAD) is an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle run by Air Force (Department of Defense), awarded on September 26, 2020.
Which companies hold SPEAD?
13 companies hold SPEAD's IDV awards, one each. The latest went to BAE Systems Controls Inc. on September 29, 2020. The awardees whose task orders obligated the most are Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems, Inc., General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. and The Boeing Company.
How much has been spent through SPEAD?
16 task orders have been placed under SPEAD, obligating $58,586,691. Their combined current value, with exercised options, is $58,970,806.
What is the shared ceiling of SPEAD?
SPEAD's shared ceiling is $400,000,000; its task orders have used 15% of it.
Which agencies use SPEAD the most?
The departments whose task orders under SPEAD obligated the most are Air Force ($58,586,691).
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