On Monday, July 27, 2026, L3Harris Technologies announced a multi-year framework agreement with the Department of Defense and prime contractor Lockheed Martin to quadruple propulsion system production for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense platform.
The seven-year agreement represents the largest THAAD propulsion award secured by L3Harris to date, expanding industrial capacity to deliver solid rocket boost motors and attitude control hardware.
Propulsion Hardware and Manufacturing Infrastructure
L3Harris produces two primary propulsion assemblies for the Missile Defense Agency’s THAAD system: Solid Rocket Boost Motors (SRBMs), which supply initial launch acceleration, and Liquid Divert and Attitude Control Systems (LDACS), which provide precision maneuvering for THAAD’s kinetic kill vehicle during exo-atmospheric and endo-atmospheric intercepts.
SRBM manufacturing takes place at L3Harris facilities in Huntsville, Alabama, and Camden, Arkansas, while LDACS unit assembly is managed at the company’s Los Angeles manufacturing site. The systems operate in tandem to maintain missile guidance precision during high-velocity intercepts against short, medium, and intermediate-range ballistic missile threats.
Industrial Base Acceleration and Capital Investment
The capacity expansion is supported by the Department of War’s Acquisition Transformation Strategy and Munitions Acceleration Council, which prioritized THAAD propulsion to address global missile defense stockpile requirements. The framework aligns with broader capital expansion initiatives within L3Harris’s Missile Solutions business unit, following a $1 billion Department of Defense preferred equity investment aimed at scaling solid rocket motor production across national defense programs.
Across its propulsion manufacturing campuses in Alabama, Virginia, and Arkansas, L3Harris is constructing approximately 60 facilities and adding or upgrading nearly 1 million square feet of production space to expand domestic solid rocket motor manufacturing capacity.
Executive Leadership Commentary
“This framework agreement reaffirms L3Harris’ proven capability to quickly deliver critical defense systems at the rate the Department of War demands,” said Ken Bedingfield, President of Missile Solutions at L3Harris. “The agreement builds upon our ongoing investments to build new facilities, incorporate modern manufacturing practices and bolster our suppliers to ensure we can support the critical systems that protect our nation and allies.“
Contract Definitization and Program Schedule
L3Harris and Lockheed Martin expect to definitize the full seven-year contract later in 2026 as production facilities complete qualification milestones. The expanded manufacturing lines in Arkansas and Alabama will scale output progressively over the contract period to support the fourfold production target.
