By Outrider Editorial Team · Updated August 20, 2026
Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in one or more of the following: (1) manufacturing or assembling complete aircraft; (2) developing and making aircraft prototypes; (3) aircraft conversion (i.e., major modifications to systems); and (4) complete aircraft overhaul and rebuilding (i.e., periodic restoration of aircraft to original design specifications).
FY2025 obligations
$61.2B
Contract actions
23,686
IDVs
509
Top buying agencies
- Department of Defense$60.7B
- Department of Homeland Security$220.7M
- Department of Transportation$147.3M
- Department of Commerce$59.5M
- Department of State$58.4M
FY2025 federal contract obligations, USAspending.gov
NAICS 336411 moved $61.2 billion in FY2025, more than any other manufacturing code in the federal government, and it is the most single-buyer-dependent code at that scale. DoD alone accounts for $60.7 billion. Everything else is rounding: DHS at $221 million (Coast Guard aircraft), DOT at $147 million (FAA flight-inspection fleet), Commerce at $59 million (NOAA hurricane hunters), State at $58 million.
What belongs here
Complete aircraft, aircraft prototypes, conversions that are major system modifications, and full overhaul or rebuild back to original design specification. Two boundaries get missed constantly:
- Engines and engine parts are 336412, even when the same shop does the airframe.
- Parts, auxiliary equipment, and external stores are 336413, which carries 81,665 contract actions against this code's 23,686.
Routine flightline maintenance that does not restore the aircraft to original design spec is a service buy, not manufacturing, and shows up under a J-series PSC.
Competing in this code
Only 509 IDVs support $61.2 billion. Money here moves through definitized contracts and modifications on platform programs already awarded, not through vehicles a new entrant can get on. The 1,500-employee size standard is generous on paper and irrelevant in practice at the prime level. Realistic paths are Tier 2 supply into an existing airframe program, aircraft modification and conversion work where the fleet owner wants a second source, and DHS or NOAA fleet buys, which run small enough for a mid-size integrator to prime.
Frequently Asked
NAICS 336411 questions, answered.
What is the SBA size standard for NAICS 336411?
SBA sets it at 1,500 employees, counted as a 24-month average headcount across your company and every affiliate, not revenue. At or under that number you are small on NAICS 336411 solicitations and eligible for the set-asides in this code.
Which agencies buy aircraft under NAICS 336411?
FY2025 obligations: DoD ($60.7 billion), DHS ($221 million), DOT ($147 million), Commerce ($59 million), State ($58 million). DoD is 99 percent of the code, so past performance outside the military aviation world carries very little weight on 336411 evaluations.
Is aircraft maintenance classified under NAICS 336411?
Only when it is complete overhaul and rebuilding that restores the aircraft to original design specifications. Scheduled maintenance, field-level repair, and contractor logistics support are services, typically bought under a J-series or R-series PSC with a services NAICS. Miscoding depot-level services as 336411 puts you against manufacturers on evaluation criteria you cannot meet.
What is the difference between NAICS 336411 and 336413?
336411 is the complete aircraft. 336413 is parts and auxiliary equipment: armament racks, external fuel tanks, inflight refueling gear, structural assemblies. The spending pattern is the tell. 336411 ran 23,686 actions for $61.2 billion, while 336413 ran 81,665 actions for $19.8 billion. If components are what you sell, 336413 is where the buyers search.
Register Under NAICS 336411
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