Leidos wins $142M DISA CESO contract to modernize secure web infrastructure with AI, Zero Trust

Leidos to modernize CESO secure web infrastructure

Leidos wins a $142 million award to modernize IT operations for the Compartmented Enterprise Services Office (CESO) within the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), the company says. The contract tasks Leidos with delivering integrated engineering, software development, operations and cybersecurity services to optimize CESO’s secure web applications and enable more efficient information sharing across the Department of War (DoW) and the intelligence community. The work is framed around scalable, AI-driven capabilities intended to streamline operations, improve secure information access and advance Zero Trust compliance.

The modernization centers on an AI-driven suite that provides automation, analytics and advanced threat detection to accelerate secure workflows while supporting continuous monitoring and Zero Trust authentication. Leidos says the initiative improves user experience, decision making and mission readiness by offering unified, secure access to classified information and by reducing friction in cross-domain information exchange. Paul Welch, senior vice president of the digital modernization sector at Leidos, says the program “strengthens the digital backbone” that supports defense and intelligence operations and underscores the company’s role in operating, sustaining and defending the DoW’s most critical networks worldwide.

Leidos frames the CESO effort as aligned with its NorthStar 2030 strategy to drive mission-focused modernization for government customers, noting an emphasis on measurable performance improvements, operational scalability and ongoing customer collaboration as central to successful delivery. The company highlights the program’s potential to advance Zero Trust posture and to embed AI-driven analytics into routine secure workflows, which it presents as a step toward more resilient mission superiority for defense and intelligence operators.

Firm strategy and scale

Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reports approximately $16.7 billion in revenue for the fiscal year ended Jan. 3, 2025 and employs about 47,000 people globally. The CESO award contributes to its broader push to supply integrated digital and cybersecurity services to U.S. defense and intelligence customers under its NorthStar modernization agenda.

Contract scope and regulatory note

Leidos does not specify contract period, implementation phases, staffing levels or detailed timelines in the announcement, although it commits to measurable outcomes and customer collaboration. The company also includes customary forward-looking statements subject to SEC disclosure rules and risk factors described in its Form 10-K, cautioning readers not to place undue reliance on predictions that speak only as of the release date.