Expansion Supports Increased Production for U.S. Army Air Defense Programs
L3Harris Technologies has broken ground on two new missile propulsion manufacturing facilities at its Arkansas Advanced Propulsion Facilities (AAPF) campus in Camden, Arkansas, further expanding production capacity for the U.S. Army’s Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile propulsion systems.
The self-funded expansion is designed to accelerate production of critical propulsion components while supporting growing demand for advanced air and missile defense systems.
New Manufacturing Facilities
The expansion includes two purpose-built facilities that will strengthen L3Harris’ solid rocket motor manufacturing operations:
- 75,000-square-foot cast, cure and final assembly facility
- 70,000-square-foot case preparation facility
- Expanded production capacity for PAC-3 propulsion systems
- Advanced automation to improve manufacturing speed and quality
The new buildings follow the company’s July 2025 announcement outlining plans to significantly increase production capabilities at the Camden campus.
Advanced Manufacturing Technology
The facilities will incorporate next-generation manufacturing technologies designed to improve throughput while maintaining stringent quality standards.
New capabilities include:
- AI-enabled automated X-ray inspection systems for rapid defect detection
- Fully automated propellant casting processes
- Expanded curing capacity
- Enhanced manufacturing automation to increase production efficiency
These investments are expected to boost both production speed and output while supporting consistent product quality.
Supporting Critical Missile Defense Programs
The Arkansas Advanced Propulsion Facilities specialize in manufacturing medium- and large-scale solid rocket motors that power a wide range of U.S. defense systems, including:
- Tactical missiles
- Air defense interceptors
- Missile defense targets
- Hypersonic vehicles
- Other advanced defense applications
For the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor program, Lockheed Martin serves as the prime contractor, while L3Harris supplies several critical propulsion components, including:
- Two-pulse solid rocket motors
- Attitude Control Motors (ACMs)
- Lethality Enhancers
CEO Highlights Importance of Expansion
“This expansion boosts our ability to deliver PAC-3 propulsion faster and at greater quantities, while strengthening military readiness and providing proven capability our warfighters depend on,” said Christopher Kubasik, Chairman and CEO of L3Harris.
Part of a Broader Missile Production Expansion
The Arkansas project is one of several major investments L3Harris has announced to increase missile propulsion manufacturing capacity following efforts by the U.S. Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin to significantly expand PAC-3 MSE interceptor production.
Additional initiatives include:
- A billion-dollar expansion of the company’s solid rocket motor production facility in Orange County, Virginia
- A $1 billion Pentagon investment announced in April to strengthen missile propulsion manufacturing
- A partnership with a state-owned Polish defense company to produce Attitude Control Motors for the PAC-3 program
Together, these investments are intended to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base, improve supply chain resilience and increase production capacity for one of the nation’s most critical air and missile defense systems.
