L3Harris Technologies has initiated the construction of two new facilities at its Arkansas Advanced Propulsion Facilities campus in Camden to support increased production of propulsion systems for the US Army’s PAC-3 missile program.
The Arkansas facility serves as a key production center for medium- and large-sized solid rocket motors that power a range of military systems, including tactical missiles, air defense interceptors, hypersonic vehicles, and missile defense targets. Following its announcement in July 2025, the company broke ground on two self-funded facilities consisting of a 75,000-square-foot cast, cure, and final assembly complex and a 70,000-square-foot facility dedicated to case preparation operations.
The expansion will introduce several advanced manufacturing technologies to improve production efficiency and output capacity for PAC-3 propulsion systems. Among the planned enhancements are artificial intelligence-assisted automated X-ray inspection systems for accelerated defect detection, fully automated casting operations, and increased curing capacity.
The investment supports the growing production requirements of the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement interceptor program. While Lockheed Martin serves as the prime contractor for the PAC-3 MSE system, L3Harris supplies key components, including the two-pulse solid rocket motor, Attitude Control Motors, and the Lethality Enhancer subsystem.
After the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin finalized an agreement in January to expand PAC-3 MSE missile production by more than threefold, L3Harris announced several strategic investments to strengthen its missile propulsion manufacturing infrastructure. These efforts include a further billion-dollar expansion of its solid rocket motor production operations in Orange County, Virginia, securing a $1 billion Pentagon investment in April, and establishing a partnership with a Polish state-owned defense manufacturer to produce Attitude Control Motors.
