Propulsion production for THAAD, part of the U.S. ballistic missile defense shield, is set to quadruple. L3Harris Technologies has signed a seven-year framework agreement with the Pentagon and prime contractor Lockheed Martin to quadruple propulsion production capacity for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.
The deal the largest THAAD propulsion contract L3Harris has secured to date follows a contract the company won earlier this year and is expected to be finalized later this year.
Ken Bedingfield, President of Missile Solutions at L3Harris, said the framework agreement reaffirms the company’s proven ability to deliver critical defense systems at the pace the Pentagon demands. He added that the agreement builds on the company’s ongoing investments in new facilities, modern manufacturing practices, and a stronger supplier base.
Production Capacity Expanding Across Three Facilities
Under the agreement, L3Harris will ramp up output of the Solid Rocket Boost Motors (SRBMs) and Liquid Divert and Attitude Control Systems (LDACS) used in THAAD interceptors for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). Solid rocket motors will continue to be built at the company’s Huntsville, Alabama, and Camden, Arkansas facilities, while LDACS units — which give the interceptor its terminal-phase maneuvering capability — will keep being manufactured at its Los Angeles site. The company is delivering LDACS and SRBMs on or ahead of contract schedule.
THAAD stands as one of the United States’ primary defenses against short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles, capable of intercepting threats both inside and outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
Facility Investments to Scale Up Munitions Stockpiles
The production increase is part of the Pentagon’s broader push to accelerate munitions supply. The Department of War’s Munitions Acceleration Council has identified several key programs — including THAAD — powered by L3Harris propulsion systems for capacity expansion.
To meet rising demand, L3Harris is building roughly 60 new buildings and expanding its solid rocket motor manufacturing footprint across Alabama, Virginia, and Arkansas by more than 1 million square feet (about 93,000 square meters).
🔍 You may also like
Source: C4Defence– L3Harris Technologies
