How do defence contractors usually handle buyer persona research?

For mid-tier defence suppliers, LinkedIn Sales Navigator is honestly your best starting point — filter by company size, defence-adjacent SIC codes, and job titles like procurement or programme manager. I'd also lean heavily on trade publications like Jane's or Defence News for secondary research before doing any primary interviews. Honestly, 8-10 in-depth interviews with the right people will tell you more than any survey in this space since the audience is small and niche.