DoW And L3Harris Secure Landmark Deals To Expand Propulsion Production For PAC-3 MSE and THAAD.

Washington DC; July 2026: The United States Department of War, in cooperation with L3Harris and Lockheed Martin, announced two landmark seven-year framework agreements to expand production capacity for key components of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) weapon system.

“Rebuilding the Arsenal of Freedom requires moving with speed and precision to scale the production of critical munitions”, said Michael P. Duffey, Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment. “Today’s agreements with L3Harris are a decisive win for the War fighter, underscoring our commitment to sending clear demand signals to the entire supply chain”.

Under this agreement, L3Harris will accelerate the production of its advanced two-pulse solid rocket motor, Attitude Control Motors, and the Lethality Enhancer. The motors deliver the critical speed, extended range, and precise manoeuverability the PAC-3 MSE needs to defeat advanced tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and enemy aircraft.

Concurrently, the THAAD interceptor propulsion agreement, signed by the DoW, L3Harris, and Lockheed Martin, will expand manufacturing of two critical components: the solid rocket boost motor that launches the interceptor and the highly responsive Liquid Divert and Attitude Control System (LDACS). The LDACS provides the vital in-flight manoeuverability required to engage and neutralize ballistic missile threats both inside and outside Earth’s atmosphere.

This agreement follows a series of PAC-3 MSE framework agreements with prime contractor Lockheed Martin, seeker manufacturer Boeing, and multi-component supplier Honeywell.

These agreements are a direct outcome of the Department’s Acquisition Transformation Strategy, which slashes bureaucratic red tape and allows the Department to engage directly with suppliers at every level of the industrial base. The Acquisition Transformation Strategy is a cornerstone of the Department’s effort to place the nation’s defence acquisition system on a wartime footing. By providing industry with clear, stable, long-term demand, the Department of War is fostering a more robust, resilient, and responsive defence industrial base, ensuring the US military always outpaces any adversary on the factory floor.

For L3Harris, the agreement provides a multi-year production outlook for a system already identified for capacity expansion by the Department of War’s Munitions Acceleration Council. The company said it is delivering THAAD propulsion components on or ahead of existing contract schedules.

“This framework agreement reaffirms L3Harris’ proven capability to quickly deliver critical defense systems at the rate the Department of War demands”, said Ken Bedingfield, President, Missile Solutions, L3Harris. “The agreement builds upon our ongoing investments to build new facilities, incorporate modern manufacturing practices and bolster our suppliers to ensure we can support the critical systems that protect our nation and allies”.

L3Harris manufactures THAAD solid rocket boost motors in Huntsville, Alabama, and Camden, Arkansas. The company produces LDACS at its Los Angeles facility. THAAD is designed to defend against short, medium, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. L3Harris said the system has achieved a 100% success rate in intercept tests since production began.

The fourfold production increase is tied to a wider expansion of L3Harris’ propulsion manufacturing base. The company said it is investing billions of dollars across its solid rocket motor operations. That expansion includes construction of about 60 facilities and the addition or upgrade of nearly 1 million square feet of manufacturing and office space. The work spans L3Harris sites in Alabama, Virginia and Arkansas.

The Department of War said its acquisition strategy is intended to engage suppliers directly across multiple levels of the industrial base. The policy also seeks to give manufacturers the long-term demand signals needed to add capacity and strengthen supply chains.

For THAAD, the seven-year framework links those industrial investments to a defined increase in propulsion output. It also gives L3Harris and Lockheed Martin a longer production horizon for one of the US military’s primary ballistic missile defence systems.

Team Maverick.