L3Harris breaks ground on $400 million missile factory in Camden, Arkansas

CAMDEN, Arkansas — Missiles are a global growth industry, and Camden, Arkansas, is poised to take advantage.

On Tuesday, the little town of about 10,000 residents, 100 miles south of Little Rock, broke ground on a new $400 million solid rocket motor and propulsion factory. The factory is owned and operated by L3Harris Technologies, a major defense contractor.

L3Harris has added 500 new workers over the last year as part of staffing for the new factory, which is part of the overall U.S. defense industry’s response to the increased use of missiles. The new facility will be one of its most advanced, according to L3Harris, increasing efficiency to meet rising global demand for key strategic weapon systems.

“This is a generational project and investment, demonstrating L3Harris’ role in unleashing America’s ‘arsenal of freedom,’” said Christopher Kubasik, the chairman and CEO of 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.”

“Arsenal of freedom” is a reference to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s Nov. 7 speech to industry leaders. Mr. Hegseth wants to see the defense industry use a more investment-forward model, rather than waiting to respond to the Pentagon’s contract demands.

In his speech, Mr. Hegseth called the current climate “a moment of mounting urgency,” as the administration looks to change how the U.S. military fields equipment in light of growing threats around the world.

The Camden facility is already a primary producer of guided multiple launch rocket system munitions. GMLRS have featured heavily in the long-range strike capabilities for Ukraine provided by the U.S. and others. This highlights a strategic need in the U.S. arsenal.

“Solid rocket motors power everything from tactical missiles, to missile defense interceptors, to strategic weapons,” said Ken Bedingfield, L3Harris’ chief financial officer, during the ceremony on Tuesday. “All of which are vital components of our national defense.”

The Washington Times was given an exclusive tour of the current facilities, originally built by Aerojet Rocketdyne. The rocket motor manufacturing facility was started over 40 years ago on the site of a former Navy depot leftover from World War II. L3Harris acquired Aerojet Rocketdyne in 2023. The company said that it has made significant investments since then. The new facility will sit alongside the current 2,000-acre site in Camden.

“When L3Harris acquired Aerojet Rocketdyne, it did so with a clear purpose,” Mr. Bedingfield said. “To strengthen a critical national asset.”

L3Harris currently produces more than 115,000 solid rocket motors each year in Camden. The new facility will increase production by adding additional robotic systems, automated quality inspections, and autonomous motor vehicles along the production process.

“The movement of motors through the manufacturing process will be supported by autonomous ground vehicles,” Mr. Bedingfield said.

A significant design change to the facility allows for a much higher amount of explosive weight to be produced while maintaining safety standards, and Mr. Bedingfield said that “we expect these facilities will increase our large solid rocket motor capacity six-fold.”

The Camden plant will use so-called “program-agnostic equipment,” according to the company, specifically designing their production line to allow for a variety of rocket sizes and purposes. Parts of the process are reclaimed from the Atlas missile program and now used for multiple solid rocket motors, including the Patriot. The aim, according to L3Harris, is for the company to be able to adapt to the military’s new programs as it attempts to modernize the current arsenal.

The rockets produced in Camden are used in military equipment that is seen by experts and the military as critical in the modern fight playing out in Ukraine.

A smaller system, the Javelin missile system, is one example of a smaller but critical solid-fuel rocket weapon. Thousands of Javelins have been sent to Ukraine from the arsenals of countries around the world; so many that invoking “Saint Javelin” is now a cultural refrain among international military members supporting Ukraine.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders spoke at the event, saying that the local investment is a key part of her push to grow the aerospace and defense industry in Arkansas. 

Mrs. Sanders, a longtime ally of President Trump, has spent time on what she called “international trade missions” to defense trade shows, including the Paris Air Show, in pursuit of that goal.

“Arkansans have helped build weapon systems like THAAD, standard missiles, tactical Tomahawks, and patriot missile systems,” said Mrs. Sanders. “The missiles built here aren’t just about our global security; they also help grow our economy.”

“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, a Republican from Arkansas. “Our delegation works relentlessly to support the industry and its impact on security and the economy locally, nationally and globally.”

L3Harris has plans to produce two to three times more systems for key defense programs across its portfolio. 

The new facility is part of a more than $500 million investment strategy by L3Harris in its major solid rocket motor sites across the country, including $250 million in subcontracts to raw materials suppliers. 

The company also has facilities in Alabama, California, Florida, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington.