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BigBear.ai
BigBear.ai delivers AI-powered decision intelligence to U.S. defense and border agencies, deploying from a 1988 legacy into commercial supply chains.
BigBear.ai
BigBear.ai's roots trace to 1988 as a long-standing partner of U.S. defense and intelligence agencies. The firm specializes in fusing artificial intelligence with deep mission expertise, extending its footprint from classified work into homeland security, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure. The company's acquisition of Ask Sage, a generative AI platform built for secure government deployment, brought a user base of more than 100,000 across 16,000 government teams inside its perimeter. The firm's deployment strategy spans direct AI software and custom engineering for operations at the physical edge. Asset classes are functionally grouped into national security, critical infrastructure, and intelligent edge operations, with confirmed portfolio products including Shipyard AI for advanced shipyard analytics and Ask Sage for agentic government AI use. Geographic delivery runs across North America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Recent partnership signals include a memorandum of understanding with Easy Lease and Vigilix to develop Pahang Aerospace City, an AI-driven aerospace hub in Southeast Asia, and a strategic partnership with AD Ports Group to explore next-generation AI customs management for ports and borders. BigBear.ai operates from a headquarters in McLean, Virginia, with additional offices in Michigan, Virginia, and Abu Dhabi. The firm has described a growing backlog, reporting more than $60 million in national security contracts during its first-quarter 2026 results release. In early 2026, BigBear.ai appointed Jo Ann Bjornson as Chief Human Resources Officer and Alex Thompson as Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, signaling a buildout of executive functions alongside its contract expansion. The firm's structural posture as a pure-play public government AI contractor differentiates it from dual-use software companies. BigBear.ai commits to open architecture, enabling interoperability across platforms and algorithms while maintaining direct relationships within classified and sensitive mission environments. This architecture-driven, mission-first model locks in long procurement cycles with agencies demanding security-hardened AI at the network edge.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
1988
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
McLean
Corporate office
7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22102, United States
Additional offices
Ann Arbor, MI, United States · Charlottesville, VA, United States · Chantilly, VA, United States · Abu Dhabi, UAE
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
What does BigBear.ai actually sell?
BigBear.ai provides AI-powered decision intelligence software and custom engineering services. Its two most prominent products are Shipyard AI, an advanced shipyard analytics and simulation tool, and Ask Sage, a generative AI platform purpose-built for secure government deployments. The firm focuses on national security, supply chains, autonomous systems, and cybersecurity missions.
How does BigBear.ai relate to U.S. defense and intelligence agencies?
The firm has served the U.S. defense and intelligence community since its founding in 1988. BigBear.ai supplies the Defense Intelligence, Open-Source Intelligence, and Foundational Military Intelligence missions with analytics and software, and it operates extensively within Combatant Commands and the Intelligence Community.
Is BigBear.ai a defense contractor or a commercial software company?
BigBear.ai is primarily a government contractor structured as a publicly traded company, with an expanding commercial practice in manufacturing, supply chain, and critical infrastructure. Its government legacy and security clearances let it deploy AI into classified and operationally sensitive environments that pure commercial SaaS vendors cannot access.
What is Ask Sage, and who uses it?
Ask Sage is a generative AI platform acquired by BigBear.ai for secure government deployment. It supports agentic capabilities and serves more than 100,000 users across 16,000 government teams. The platform enables secure handling of sensitive data where commercial generative AI models are often prohibited.
Where does BigBear.ai operate outside the United States?
BigBear.ai maintains an office in Abu Dhabi and has disclosed projects in Panama and Malaysia. The firm signed a memorandum of understanding to advance Pahang Aerospace City in Southeast Asia and partnered with International Shipping Compliance for an AI-powered supply chain security platform in Panama's Dry Canal.
How does BigBear.ai approach AI safety and open architecture?
BigBear.ai publicly commits to open architecture that enables interoperability across platforms and algorithms. The firm states it plays a role in shaping AI safety policies and standards, emphasizing access to models and data so that defense and commercial clients can act with speed and trust.
What was BigBear.ai's most recent financial disclosure?
In its first-quarter 2026 results, BigBear.ai reported an increased backlog that included more than $60 million in national security contracts and affirmed full-year revenue guidance. The company has not disclosed assets under management, as it operates as a revenue-based contractor rather than an investment manager.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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