Antenna Research Associates, Incorporated

Antenna Research Associates, Incorporated (ARA), headquartered in Laurel, Maryland, is a for-profit manufacturer of antennas and radio frequency (RF) systems with over 55 years of experience serving the U.S. federal government. The company designs and produces a comprehensive portfolio of advanced antenna solutions including directional, omnidirectional, conical log spiral, and dual-band antennas, along with associated hardware, couplers, cables, and research and development services. ARA is registered in SAM.gov as a parent entity that holds multiple prime federal contracts and serves as both a prime contractor and subcontractor across the defense industrial base. The company operates manufacturing facilities in Laurel, Westlake, and Pembroke, Maryland, and maintains active relationships with major defense organizations including the Department of Defense, various military branches, and the Defense Logistics Agency.

ARA's federal contract history demonstrates extensive engagement across multiple agencies and contract types. Through prime federal contract awards, ARA has provided antennas for critical military applications including Navy surface warfare systems, Air Force and Army vehicle communications, NEXRAD weather radar modernization, signals intelligence and electronic warfare applications, and Joint Threat Emitter program support. The company has received awards from the Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Supply Systems Command, Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Department of the Air Force Materiel Command, Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other defense agencies. Contract values have ranged from approximately $749 to over $832,000 for individual awards, with delivery orders and purchase orders comprising the majority of recent transactional awards. ARA has also served as a subcontractor to major defense primes including Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, General Atomics, BAE Systems, Sierra Nevada Company, Northrop Grumman, Battelle Memorial Institute, and others, supplying specialized antenna products, assemblies, and technical support for various defense platforms and programs. The company's subcontracting work has included omni antennas, C-band directional antennas, satellite communications antennas, GPS antennas for flight-ready platforms, antenna panel assemblies, and manufactured parts for armored vehicle communications systems. Most prime contract awards carry no small business set-aside designation, though ARA has received a limited number of total small business set-aside awards from the Defense Logistics Agency.

ARA currently holds two significant Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts with the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime. The first single-award IDIQ contract, SPE7MX21D0096, was awarded on June 15, 2021, with a ceiling value of $4,918,784.59 and a performance period extending through June 14, 2026. Under this contract, ARA has received numerous delivery orders and purchase orders for antennas and RF components, with individual task orders ranging from approximately $9,348 to $465,913. The second DLA IDIQ contract carries a substantially higher ceiling value of $12,203,180.64. Additionally, ARA was awarded a single-award Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) by Naval Sea Systems Command on July 14, 2025, with a ceiling value of $250,000 and a performance period through July 13, 2030. This BPA covers the procurement of radar antennas, specifically the ARA Model AS24-818D dual linear feed antenna, as well as repair and refurbishment services for government-owned antenna units. ARA's subsidiary, Aqyr Technologies Inc., holds a $33.17 million IDIQ contract with the Space and Missile Systems Center for Ground-Based Surveillance products, program management, and technical support services under the SBIR Program Phase III. Through these IDVs, ARA has established itself as an approved original equipment manufacturer for antenna systems and RF components, providing essential logistics support and operational readiness capabilities across the Department of Defense and related federal agencies.