It’s playoff season in cleared recruiting. Though really happening consistently throughout 2025 and beyond, as the calendar year ended, check out which defense contractors are battling for division titles, wildcard spots, and talent supremacy.
DIVISION LEADERS
These are the frontrunners—high-volume hiring, massive cleared footprints, and the recruiting power to stay on top all season.
1. Lockheed Martin
- One of the largest U.S. defense contractors and a leader in aerospace, missile defense, and advanced systems.
- Actively filling thousands of positions in engineering, program management, IT, and mission systems in 2025 in response to increased defense spending.
2. Northrop Grumman
- Experiencing strong recruitment across engineering and technical roles, especially in aerospace systems, autonomous platforms, and defense electronics.
- Hiring spiked as firms respond to historic Pentagon budget increases.
3. RTX (Raytheon Technologies)
- Reporting a hiring push for systems engineers, cybersecurity professionals, and technicians across its defense segments (e.g., missile systems and electronic warfare).
- Often cited among top contractors actively recruiting throughout 2025.
IN THE HUNT
Not the top seed yet, but closing fast—these teams are scaling, innovating, and making serious moves for cleared talent.
1. Anduril Industries
- A fast-growing defense tech company blending hardware and software for autonomous systems, sensor fusion, and warfighter tools.
- Seen as a disruptor compared with legacy primes because of rapid technology deployment cycles and deep AI focus.
2. MAG Aerospace
- Focuses on intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), training, and technical services.
- Has grown through government ISR contracts and partnerships with analytics and drone tech companies.
3. Aevex Aerospace
- Specializes in airborne ISR systems, sensor integration, and flight testing.
- Known for classified and special operations-oriented mission support in intelligence environments.
WILDCARD
The unpredictable contenders—smaller rosters, big momentum, and the kind of growth that can flip the bracket overnight.
1. Torch Technologies
- Employee-owned engineering and IT company supporting DoD systems engineering, modeling & simulation, and applied sciences.
- Well regarded for Army and Missile Defense Agency work. Wikipedia
2. M1 Support Services
- Provides aviation maintenance and military support services.
- Listed among the world’s top defense contractors by revenue while still being a relatively small, mission-focused player. Wikipedia
3. Camgian AI
- A small but rapidly expanding AI-and-missile-defense focused tech firm awarded U.S. Army funding for counter-drone systems and AI automations.
- Recently opened an office in Huntsville to support next-gen air-and-missile-defense programs.
