L3Harris expands Arkansas factory to produce rocket motors for Sentinel missiles – Defence Industry Europe

L3Harris expands Arkansas factory to produce rocket motors for Sentinel missiles  Defence Industry Europe

L3Harris Technologies is expanding its Camden, Arkansas, site to increase large solid rocket motor manufacturing capacity sixfold and support the U.S. Air Force’s Sentinel missile program. L3Harris Technologies is expanding its Camden, Arkansas, site to increase large solid rocket motor manufacturing capacity sixfold and support the U.S. Air Force’s Sentinel missile program. The new campus will produce Sentinel’s Stage 3 motor alongside motors for several other programs. The Arkansas Advanced Propulsion Facilities campus will contain more than 20 buildings across 110 acres. L3Harris expects it to be operational by the end of 2027. The company supplies Sentinel’s Stage 3 solid rocket motor and post-boost propulsion system as part of Northrop Grumman’s nationwide industry team.

The investment adds manufacturing capacity as those propulsion systems progress through testing. The Stage 3 motor completed a hot-fire test in early 2024 and underwent structural load tests earlier this year. Engineers are using the results to refine its design ahead of flight testing, L3Harris said. The post-boost propulsion system, which operates outside the atmosphere, completed a hot-fire test in 2025. L3Harris has also expanded the workspace supporting that system. The Camden campus will use robotic precision manufacturing, automated quality inspections and digital processes. The company said these methods would improve efficiency and safety. L3Harris is also using statistical process controls and automated mixing in its