Data / Federal awards / NAICS 481212
NAICS 481212 Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation: $15.3 billion in federal contracts to 210 recipients (FY2024 to FY2027)
Updated October 6, 2026. Source: USAspending.gov.
Federal agencies obligated $15.3 billion under NAICS 481212, Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation, across 4,557 contract awards to 210 named recipients in fiscal years 2024 to 2027. The largest recipients are SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. ($5.8 billion), UNITED LAUNCH SERVICES, LLC ($2.4 billion), NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION ($1.3 billion). Department of Defense is the largest buyer with $8.6 billion.
The request: Every federal contract awarded under NAICS 481212, with the winner, the agency and the value. $10 of work on sign-up, no card.
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- NAICS code
- 481212 Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation
- Contract awards
- 4,557
- Obligated
- $15.3 billion
- Named recipients
- 210
- Buying agencies
- 12
- Small business share of obligations
- 28%
- Full and open competition share
- 98%
- Set aside share
- 3%
- Latest action
- 2026-10-02
Incumbents: the largest recipients
Ranked by dollars obligated in fiscal years 2024 to 2027.
| Recipient | Business size | Awards | Obligated | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Other Than Small Business | 82 | $5.77 billion | 37.7% |
| UNITED LAUNCH SERVICES, LLC | Other Than Small Business | 69 | $2.40 billion | 15.6% |
| NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION | Other Than Small Business | 1 | $1.29 billion | 8.4% |
| BLUE ORIGIN, LLC | Other Than Small Business | 17 | $461.2 million | 3.0% |
| KALITTA AIR LLC | Other Than Small Business | 489 | $414 million | 2.7% |
| AERO-FLITE, INC. | Small Business | 207 | $330.8 million | 2.2% |
| FIREFLY AEROSPACE INC. | Small Business | 11 | $325.6 million | 2.1% |
| AIR TRANSPORT INTERNATIONAL INC | Small Business | 13 | $309.2 million | 2.0% |
| SIERRA SPACE CORP | Other Than Small Business | 2 | $304.4 million | 2.0% |
| HELICOPTER TRANSPORT SERVICES, LLC | Small Business | 102 | $243.3 million | 1.6% |
| HELICOPTER EXPRESS LLC | Small Business | 349 | $231.5 million | 1.5% |
| BRIDGER AIR TANKER LLC | Small Business | 184 | $215.4 million | 1.4% |
| NEPTUNE AVIATION SERVICES, INC. | Small Business | 104 | $187.9 million | 1.2% |
| INTUITIVE MACHINES, LLC | Small Business | 10 | $186.7 million | 1.2% |
| AERO AIR, LLC | Small Business | 74 | $178.1 million | 1.2% |
| COULSON AVIATION (USA), INC. | Small Business | 35 | $165.7 million | 1.1% |
| WESTERN GLOBAL AIRLINES INC | Small Business | 90 | $157.9 million | 1.0% |
| 10 TANKER AIR CARRIER, LLC | Small Business | 22 | $131.4 million | 0.9% |
| AIR CENTER HELICOPTERS, INC | Small Business | 8 | $120.6 million | 0.8% |
| BILLINGS FLYING SERVICE LLC | Small Business | 130 | $107.2 million | 0.7% |
| SILLER HELICOPTERS, LLC | Small Business | 120 | $104.6 million | 0.7% |
| SIERRA NEVADA COMPANY, LLC | Other Than Small Business | 1 | $102.5 million | 0.7% |
| ROTAK LLC | Small Business | 67 | $98.7 million | 0.6% |
| CROMAN CORP | Small Business | 195 | $82.7 million | 0.5% |
| PRECISION, LLC | Small Business | 14 | $78.4 million | 0.5% |
| BLUE ORIGIN WASHINGTON, LLC | Other Than Small Business | 9 | $75 million | 0.5% |
| ASTROBOTIC TECHNOLOGY INC | Small Business | 13 | $68.5 million | 0.4% |
| HELIMAX AVIATION LLC | Small Business | 72 | $58.7 million | 0.4% |
| CANADIAN COMMERCIAL CORPORATION | Other Than Small Business | 2 | $58.3 million | 0.4% |
| NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION | Other Than Small Business | 8 | $54.5 million | 0.4% |
| ROCKET LAB USA INC | Other Than Small Business | 9 | $53.4 million | 0.3% |
| CAPITOL HELICOPTERS, INC. | Small Business | 61 | $52.2 million | 0.3% |
| STARFISH SPACE INC. | Small Business | 1 | $48.5 million | 0.3% |
| HELI-1 CORP | Small Business | 37 | $48.3 million | 0.3% |
| ORBIC AIR, LLC | Small Business | 84 | $47.2 million | 0.3% |
| TRANS AERO LLC | Small Business | 90 | $35 million | 0.2% |
| BLUESKY HELICOPTERS INC | Small Business | 53 | $32.4 million | 0.2% |
| TIMBERLINE HELICOPTERS INC | Small Business | 70 | $29.8 million | 0.2% |
| P.J. HELICOPTERS, INC. | Small Business | 55 | $29.7 million | 0.2% |
| HELIQWEST INTERNATIONAL INC. | Small Business | 38 | $29.6 million | 0.2% |
| HILLSBORO AVIATION, INC. | Small Business | 26 | $28.5 million | 0.2% |
| ARROW SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, L.L.C. | Small Business | 2 | $27.8 million | 0.2% |
| AIR RESOURCES HELICOPTERS, INC. | Small Business | 44 | $26.3 million | 0.2% |
| CENTRAL COPTERS, INC. | Small Business | 54 | $25.2 million | 0.2% |
| SKYDANCE HELICOPTERS OF NORTHERN NEVADA | Small Business | 44 | $24.5 million | 0.2% |
| FEDERAL EXPRESS CORPORATION | Other Than Small Business | 14 | $24.2 million | 0.2% |
| KIT HELICOPTER OPERATIONS LLC | Small Business | 41 | $23.7 million | 0.2% |
| COLUMBIA HELICOPTERS, INC. | Other Than Small Business | 38 | $20.7 million | 0.1% |
| RUSSIA SPACE AGENCY | Other Than Small Business | 1 | $19.4 million | 0.1% |
| MOUNTAIN WEST HELICOPTERS, LLC | Small Business | 28 | $18.9 million | 0.1% |
Agencies buying under this code
| Agency | Awards | Obligated | Largest recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | 884 | $8.55 billion | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. |
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration | 177 | $3.85 billion | NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION |
| Department of Agriculture | 3,388 | $2.86 billion | AERO-FLITE, INC. |
| Department of the Interior | 84 | $61.3 million | HELICOPTER EXPRESS LLC |
| Department of Health and Human Services | 2 | $1.8 million | AERO MICRONESIA, INC. |
| Department of Justice | 7 | $194,586 | INFLIGHT MEDICAL SERVICES INTERNATIONAL, INC. |
| Department of State | 10 | $73,772 | MISCELLANEOUS FOREIGN AWARDEES |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | 1 | $64,330 | ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC |
| United States Trade and Development Agency | 1 | $1,545 | POLAR AIR CARGO WORLDWIDE, INC |
| Agency for International Development | 1 | $0 | CHAPMAN FREEBORN AIRCHARTERING INC |
| Department of Homeland Security | 1 | $-1,632 | UNITED AIRLINES, INC. |
| Department of Transportation | 1 | $-2,400 | TIMBERLAND HELICOPTERS INC |
Obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Obligated |
|---|---|
| FY2024 | $5.14 billion |
| FY2025 | $5.03 billion |
| FY2026 | $5.16 billion |
| FY2027 | $-2,079,612 |
Products and services bought
| Code | Product or service | Awards | Obligated |
|---|---|---|---|
| V126 | Transportation/travel/relocation- Transportation: Space Transportation/launch | 307 | $10.45 billion |
| F003 | Natural Resources/conservation- Forest-Range Fire Suppression/presuppression | 2,904 | $2.38 billion |
| V121 | Transportation/travel/relocation- Transportation: Air Charter | 663 | $981.6 million |
| AR14 | Space R&d Services; Space Flight, Research and Supporting Activities; R&d Administrative Expenses | 40 | $712.6 million |
| V119 | Transportation/travel/relocation- Transportation: Other | 353 | $483.4 million |
| V111 | Transportation/travel/relocation- Transportation: Air Freight | 42 | $157.3 million |
| J018 | Maint/repair/rebuild of Equipment- Space Vehicles | 2 | $67.9 million |
| V221 | Transportation/travel/relocation- Travel/lodging/recruitment: Passenger Air Charter | 95 | $50.1 million |
| AR37 | R&d- Space: Flight (commercialized) | 5 | $24.4 million |
| AC25 | National Defense R&d Svcs; Atomic Energy Defense Activities; R&d Facilities & Maj Equip | 3 | $9.6 million |
Largest contract awards
| Award ID | Recipient | Agency | Type | NAICS | What it buys | Obligated in window | Award value | Starts | Ends | Place of performance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NNJ16GU21B | NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | IDC | 481212 | IGF::OT::IGF ISS COMMERCIAL RESUPPLY SERVICES 2 | $1,285,025,235 | $14,000,000,000 | January 14, 2016 | usaspending.gov | ||
| NNJ16GX08B | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | IDC | 481212 | IGF::OT::IGF ISS COMMERCIAL RESUPPLY SERVICES 2 | $1,092,750,799 | $14,000,000,000 | January 14, 2016 | usaspending.gov | ||
| FA881125FB001 | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH PHASE 3 LANE 1 | $540,731,341 | $540,731,341 | October 18, 2024 | August 31, 2027 | Hawthorne, CA | usaspending.gov |
| NNJ16GX07B | SIERRA SPACE CORP | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | IDC | 481212 | IGF::OT::IGF ISS COMMERCIAL RESUPPLY SERVICES 2 | $304,387,908 | $14,000,000,000 | January 14, 2016 | usaspending.gov | ||
| FA881125FB018 | UNITED LAUNCH SERVICES, LLC | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH (NSSL) PHASE 3 LANE 2 LAUNCH SERVICES | $222,713,114 | $222,713,114 | May 29, 2025 | February 28, 2028 | Englewood, CO | usaspending.gov |
| FA881125FB017 | UNITED LAUNCH SERVICES, LLC | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH (NSSL) PHASE 3 LANE 2 LAUNCH SERVICES | $205,327,793 | $205,327,793 | May 30, 2025 | August 29, 2029 | Englewood, CO | usaspending.gov |
| FA881126FB006 | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | PHASE 3 LANE 1 LAUNCH SERVICE TASK ORDER (LSTO) FOR NTO-5 | $204,618,632 | $487,345,458 | January 9, 2026 | January 9, 2027 | Hawthorne, CA | usaspending.gov |
| FA881124FB023 | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH PHASE 2 LAUNCH SERVICES | $183,438,742 | $183,438,742 | July 25, 2024 | January 29, 2028 | Hawthorne, CA | usaspending.gov |
| FA881125FB011 | BLUE ORIGIN, LLC | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | SEE ATTACHMENT 1, PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS) | $181,650,000 | $200,000,000 | April 14, 2025 | April 13, 2027 | El Segundo, CA | usaspending.gov |
| FA881125FB010 | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | SEE ATTACHMENT 1, PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS) | $181,650,000 | $200,000,000 | April 14, 2025 | April 13, 2027 | El Segundo, CA | usaspending.gov |
| FA881125FB013 | UNITED LAUNCH SERVICES, LLC | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | SEE ATTACHMENT 1, PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS) | $174,650,000 | $200,000,000 | April 14, 2025 | April 14, 2027 | El Segundo, CA | usaspending.gov |
| FA881126FB004 | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH SERVICES PHASE 3, LANE 2 | $173,715,980 | $173,715,980 | January 13, 2028 | June 11, 2028 | Hawthorne, CA | usaspending.gov |
| FA881124FB028 | UNITED LAUNCH SERVICES, LLC | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | NATIONAL SPACE SECURITY LAUNCH PHASE 2 | $170,743,415 | $170,743,415 | August 19, 2024 | August 19, 2025 | Englewood, CO | usaspending.gov |
| FA881126FB011 | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH (NSSL) PHASE 3 LANE 2 LAUNCH SERVICES PROCUREMENT | $170,267,970 | $170,267,970 | May 4, 2026 | June 2, 2027 | Hawthorne, CA | usaspending.gov |
| FA881126FB001 | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | PHASE 3 LANE 1 LAUNCH SERVICE TASK ORDER (LSTO) FOR SDA-2 | $160,333,658 | $160,333,658 | December 8, 2025 | April 30, 2027 | Hawthorne, CA | usaspending.gov |
| FA881125FB002 | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH PHASE 3 LANE 1 | $155,233,260 | $155,233,260 | October 18, 2024 | May 4, 2027 | Hawthorne, CA | usaspending.gov |
| FA881126FB007 | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | LAUNCH SERVICE FOR NROL-86 | $153,945,750 | $153,945,750 | January 12, 2026 | May 4, 2027 | Hawthorne, CA | usaspending.gov |
| FA881125FB016 | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH (NSSL) PHASE 3 LANE 2 LAUNCH SERVICES | $153,713,951 | $153,713,951 | May 15, 2025 | November 28, 2027 | Hawthorne, CA | usaspending.gov |
| FA881125FB022 | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH (NSSL) PHASE 3 LANE 2 LAUNCH SERVICES PROCUREMENT | $153,713,951 | $153,713,951 | July 8, 2025 | February 28, 2029 | Hawthorne, CA | usaspending.gov |
| FA881125FB015 | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH (NSSL) PHASE 3 LANE 2 LAUNCH SERVICES PROCUREMENT | $150,100,000 | $150,100,000 | April 24, 2025 | December 30, 2026 | Hawthorne, CA | usaspending.gov |
| FA881126FB005 | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | FA8811-25-D-B002 NSSL PHASE 3 LANE 2 LAUNCH SERVICES FOR USSF-206 | $142,189,654 | $142,189,654 | April 1, 2026 | August 29, 2028 | Hawthorne, CA | usaspending.gov |
| HTC71126F1005 | AIR TRANSPORT INTERNATIONAL INC | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | CIVIL RESERVE AIR FLEET - AIR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES | $138,272,484 | $135,164,567 | October 1, 2025 | September 30, 2026 | Japan | usaspending.gov |
| FA881124FB029 | SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH PHASE 2 | $136,634,569 | $136,634,569 | August 19, 2024 | August 18, 2025 | Hawthorne, CA | usaspending.gov |
| FA881119C0002 | UNITED LAUNCH SERVICES, LLC | Department of Defense | Definitive Contract | 481212 | DELTA IV HEAVY LAUNCH SERVICES | $133,290,164 | $1,728,709,521 | October 24, 2018 | November 30, 2024 | Centennial, CO | usaspending.gov |
| HTC71125F1005 | AIR TRANSPORT INTERNATIONAL INC | Department of Defense | Delivery Order | 481212 | CIVIL RESERVE AIR FLEET - AIR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES | $129,084,428 | $129,084,428 | October 1, 2024 | September 30, 2026 | Diego Garcia | usaspending.gov |
Public U.S. federal spending data (U.S. Department of the Treasury). Obligations are the contract actions dated in fiscal years 2024 to 2027 of the USAspending.gov award archive of 2026-10-06; a contract's total value is its current value as USAspending reports it, including earlier years. Recipients are matched on their SAM.gov UEI, never on the name, and are shown as the government prints them. Sole proprietorships and opted-out entities count in the totals and are not named. Free to reuse with credit to SpecStream under CC BY 4.0. Spot a wrong value? Write to [email protected] with the link to this page.