Top Pentagon contractors specialize in IT

Seven of the top 10 systems integrators providing information technology services to the federal government are also among the top 10 defense contractors, according to a new list released by the Pentagon.

The Defense Department list of top 100 contractors, released Jan. 23, demonstrates the growing importance of IT in military equipment and operations, in large part due to the Pentagon's embrace of "network-centric warfare."

Four of the top five defense contractors, and seven of the top 10, are also in the top 10 of Washington Technology's Top 100 list of IT contractors for 2002.

One company, L-3 Communications Holdings Inc., rose from 26th on the Defense Department list in fiscal 2001 (28th on the Washington Technology list for the same period) to the number 10 spot for fiscal 2002. Two companies, United Technologies Corp. and Health Net Inc., are not on the magazine's Top 100 list.

The Defense Department list tracks the 100 companies that received the most prime contracts in fiscal 2002, including everything from weapons systems to aircraft and ships, telecommunications to health care, services and products.

The complete list of contractors can be found at http://www.defenselink.mil.