CAMDEN, Arkansas, — L3Harris Technologies has opened its new Arsenal of Freedom solid rocket motor production facility in Camden, Arkansas, to double its current production capacity for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rocket motors and meet growing demand for tactical missile systems.
The 60,000-square-foot plant, located in Highland Industrial Park in East Camden, consolidates GMLRS motor manufacturing operations previously spread across three buildings, reducing the distance motors travel during production by approximately 80 percent. The facility uses advanced automation, robotics and digital manufacturing and can produce one GMLRS solid rocket motor every nine minutes, according to company officials. Production is expected to begin shortly.
The project is part of a $216 million cooperative agreement signed in 2023 with the US Department of War under the Defense Production Act Title III programme. The agreement also supports new facilities in Orange County, Virginia, and equipment and digital upgrades at existing facilities in Huntsville, Alabama. The investment is intended to strengthen domestic production and supply chains for GMLRS, Javelin and Stinger missile systems.
Michael P. Duffey, Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, said the facility strengthens rocket motor production capacity and supports a resilient, secure supply chain for US forces and allied nations. Ken Bedingfield, president of Missile Solutions at L3Harris, said the plant combines advanced manufacturing technology with skilled workers to increase output while maintaining quality and reliability.
Camden Expansion Supports PAC-3 Production
L3Harris’ Camden site covers approximately 2,000 acres and already produces more than 100,000 solid rocket motors annually in different sizes. The company is also developing the Arkansas Advanced Propulsion Facilities campus, where construction began in November 2025. The planned campus will cover approximately 110 acres and include more than 20 buildings. Once completed, it is expected to increase large solid rocket motor production capacity sixfold, with the first buildings targeted for handover to production teams in mid-2027.
Two additional facilities are also planned to support PAC-3 interceptor propulsion production. One, measuring approximately 75,000 square feet, will handle casting, curing and final assembly, while another, measuring approximately 70,000 square feet, will support rocket motor case preparation.
In October 2026, L3Harris received a $250 million follow-on award from Lockheed Martin for standard-range GMLRS propulsion units, covering the highest quantity in the programme’s history. The motors will be manufactured at the new Arsenal of Freedom facility. An earlier contract covered up to $200 million for GMLRS Insensitive Munition propulsion units.
Multibillion-Dollar Manufacturing Investment
The new plant is part of L3Harris’ wider multibillion-dollar expansion programme involving approximately 60 facilities, equipment projects and manufacturing upgrades across Arkansas, California, Virginia and Alabama. The company aims to double, triple or quadruple propulsion production rates across key programmes.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders attended the opening and described Camden as an important defence industry centre. She confirmed that production at the new plant would begin shortly. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton, Representative Bruce Westerman and Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald also welcomed the investment, citing its importance for defence manufacturing and jobs in southern Arkansas.
L3Harris has not disclosed a specific annual output target or a detailed timeline for reaching the new facility’s planned capacity. The expansion is intended to increase rocket motor production, strengthen the US defence industrial base and support demand for precision-guided weapons.
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