L3Harris Technologies and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders joined state and local leaders to break ground on the Arkansas Advanced Propulsion Facilities (AAPF), an extensive solid rocket motor (SRM) production campus.
The campus will include more than 20 buildings across 110 acres at the company’s Camden site and is expected to increase large solid rocket motor manufacturing capacity six-fold. The new facilities will specialize in producing medium and large rocket motors critical for tactical and air defense missiles, missile defense targets, interceptors and hypersonic vehicles, and emerging missile defense needs.
“This is a generational project and investment, demonstrating L3Harris’ role in unleashing America’s ‘Arsenal of Freedom,” said Christopher Kubasik, Chair and CEO, L3Harris. “Together with the state of Arkansas, we are adding capability that will protect our nation and allies, deter would-be aggressors and strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base.”
“When companies like L3Harris do business in Arkansas, it not only reinforces the aerospace and defense industry - our number one export - but it also enhances our ability to supply America’s military and our allies with critical defense systems that preserve freedom around the world,” said Governor Sanders. “I am incredibly grateful to L3Harris’ CEO, Chris Kubasik, with whom I had the privilege of meeting at the Paris Air Show earlier this year, for recognizing the strategic value Arkansas and the community of Camden bring to the table, and I look forward to building upon our partnership in the future.”
The AAPF will incorporate the latest advances in digital processes and automation to increase efficiency and enhance safety, including the use of precision manufacturing with robotic systems and automated quality inspections. The campus will also leverage real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance analytics, alongside the integration of autonomous ground vehicles for motor transportation.
The campus will add 230,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space to the broader 2,000-acre Camden site, bringing total manufacturing square footage to more than 1.5 million. Program-agnostic equipment and buildings will also allow the company to rapidly change production based on current demand and quickly adapt to evolving customer needs.
“We are proud Camden has for decades helped lead the way in producing critical weapons systems that not only bolster our national defense and mission readiness, but also ensure the U.S. continues to be a strong ally and formidable adversary,” said Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark. “Our delegation works relentlessly to support the industry and its impact on security and the economy locally, nationally and globally. I am pleased the ongoing partnership with L3Harris is being strengthened with this significant investment that assures the future of the arsenal of democracy.”
“The hardworking men and women of the Fourth District are integral contributors to our national defense – producing the tools and technology vital to defending our freedom,” said Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark. “It is with great pride that I congratulate L3Harris on the construction of more than 20 new facilities in East Camden. This exciting project meets the needs of our nation’s increased demands for domestic rocket propulsion manufacturing, supports our state’s economy, and delivers good-paying jobs to Arkansans as we continue to solidify the Natural State’s presence as a major contributor to our nation’s position as a global leader in defense.”
“South Arkansas is a thriving hub for the aerospace and defense industry, and L3Harris’ groundbreaking for its new solid rocket motor manufacturing facilities is the latest milestone in the region’s industrial growth,” said Clint O’Neal, Executive Director, Arkansas Economic Development Commission. “L3Harris is making a significant investment in south Arkansas, and they are moving quickly to build up their new operations. We thank them for their continued partnership and investment in our state – and look forward to celebrating their continued success in the years ahead.”
Of the more than $400 million investment in the campus, the company plans to spend $193 million with Arkansas businesses. L3Harris has been producing rocket motors in Camden since 1979. The location produces more than 115,000 solid rocket motors a year, from those that fit in the palm of your hand to those the size of a truck. Overall, the company is investing more than half-a-billion dollars at its major solid rocket motor sites across the country to support production of motors of all sizes, including in Culpeper, Virginia; Camden, Arkansas; and Huntsville, Alabama.
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