Anduril Industries and Leidos have secured positions under the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s VOLARE program, an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with an $85 million ceiling. Running through September 2036, the research initiative focuses on developing advanced software to model aircraft vehicle systems and design thermal management architectures for future military jets.
Architecting the Digital Airframe
As the Air Force pushes toward ambitious fleet goals—including building out an autonomous combat force—the sheer volume of high-power radar, onboard computing, and directed-energy payloads packed into a single airframe creates heat loads. Enter the VOLARE program, formally known as Digital System-Level Mission-Driven Integrated Design Methods for Aerospace Systems.
According to defense contracting records, the initiative tackles two primary software engineering challenges: building comprehensive vehicle system models and engineering thermal management systems. Managing the cooling architecture that stops sensitive avionics and high-output engines from overheating is no longer secondary; it dictates the physical form factor of the jet itself.
The Air Force Research Laboratory structured VOLARE as a multi-award IDIQ after receiving eight competing offers. Anduril captured its spot on the roster under contract number FA2391-26-D-B013, running through September 17, 2036. Just one day later, Leidos secured a parallel position under contract number FA2391-26-D-B015, extending through September 18, 2036. Neither base agreement obligates upfront funds. Instead, the Air Force issues individual task orders as specific engineering demands materialize. Initial work for Leidos kicked off with a $75,000 task order utilizing fiscal 2026 research funds, establishing a runway for iterative software prototyping.
Scaling Software-First Defense Engineering
Anduril’s participation in VOLARE runs parallel to its separate production work for autonomous fighter jets, a capability underscored by CEO Brian Schimpf during an appearance on Bloomberg Tech regarding the Pentagon’s vision for a fleet of up to 1,000 autonomous combat aircraft.
Leidos brings a federal contracting footprint to the table. Based in Reston, Virginia, the engineering contractor has a history supporting defense, intelligence, and civilian agencies. However, the VOLARE award thrusts Leidos into digital engineering tools meant to model entire aircraft systems before a single sheet of metal is cut.
- Contract Vehicle: Indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) with an $85 million ceiling per award.
- Timeline: A 10-year window running through September 2036, with work anchored in Dayton, Ohio.
- Core Deliverables: Vehicle system modeling software and advanced thermal management design methodologies.
- Initial Funding: Base agreements carry zero obligated dollars, initiated via targeted task orders such as an initial $75,000 allocation.
The 30-Second Verdict
VOLARE isn’t about building a physical jet. It is about overhauling the underlying computational pipeline used to simulate and architect them.
