CAMDEN, Ark. – L3Harris Technologies, alongside Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other state leaders, has broken ground on the new Arkansas Advanced Propulsion Facilities (AAPF). This expansive solid rocket motor production campus represents a generational investment aimed at dramatically scaling U.S. defense manufacturing capacity.
The new campus will occupy 110 acres within L3Harris’s existing Camden site, featuring over 20 buildings and adding 230,000 square feet of space. It is designed to increase the site’s large solid rocket motor production capacity six-fold. These motors are critical components for tactical missiles, air defense systems, hypersonic vehicles, and emerging missile defense technologies.
“This project demonstrates L3Harris’ role in unleashing America’s ‘Arsenal of Freedom,’” said Christopher Kubasik, Chair and CEO of L3Harris. “We are adding capability that will protect our nation and allies, deter aggressors, and strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base.”
Governor Sanders highlighted the project’s significance for Arkansas’s economy and national security. “It reinforces aerospace and defense—our number one export—and enhances our ability to supply America’s military and allies with critical systems,” she stated.
The AAPF will incorporate advanced digital processes and automation, including robotic precision manufacturing, automated quality inspections, and autonomous ground vehicles for transportation. This modernized approach is intended to boost efficiency, enhance safety, and allow for rapid adaptation to evolving production demands.
The project is part of a broader investment exceeding half-a-billion dollars across L3Harris’s solid rocket motor sites nationwide. Of the over $400 million dedicated to the Arkansas campus, the company plans to spend $193 million with local Arkansas businesses, providing a significant economic boost to the region.
L3Harris has been a cornerstone of Camden’s industrial landscape since 1979, currently producing over 115,000 solid rocket motors annually. The new facilities are expected to create high-skilled jobs and solidify South Arkansas as a premier hub for aerospace and defense manufacturing for decades to come.
