CAMDEN, Arkansas -- L3Harris Technologies has begun construction of two additional facilities in Camden, Arkansas, to expand production capacity for propulsion systems used in the U.S. Army's Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptor.
The new buildings will be added to the company's Arkansas Advanced Propulsion Facilities campus, which is being developed as part of a broader effort to increase domestic solid rocket motor manufacturing capacity.
The expansion includes a roughly 75,000-square-foot facility dedicated to casting, curing, and final assembly operations, along with a separate 70,000-square-foot building for motor case preparation. According to the company, the facilities will incorporate automated manufacturing technologies, including artificial intelligence-assisted X-ray inspection systems, automated casting processes, and additional curing capacity intended to increase production throughput.
L3Harris manufactures several key propulsion components for the PAC-3 MSE interceptor, including the two-pulse solid rocket motor, attitude control motors, and lethality enhancement systems. The interceptor is produced by Lockheed Martin and serves as a critical element of U.S. and allied air and missile defense networks.
Construction of the broader Arkansas Advanced Propulsion Facilities campus began in 2025. The site is intended to support production of medium- and large-class solid rocket motors for tactical missiles, missile defense interceptors, target vehicles, hypersonic systems, and other defense applications.
The Arkansas expansion is part of a larger manufacturing investment program by L3Harris. The company is building approximately 60 facilities and adding nearly one million square feet of manufacturing space across sites in Arkansas, Alabama, and Virginia.
The expansion reflects ongoing efforts by the U.S. defense industrial base to increase missile production capacity amid growing demand for air and missile defense systems. Additional domestic solid rocket motor manufacturing capability is considered important for supporting long-term missile inventories, replenishing stockpiles, and meeting requirements associated with evolving global security challenges.
