L3Harris plans $1.27B expansion in Orange, creating 350 jobs

Florida-based defense contractor L3Harris Technologies announced on Wednesday plans for a $1.27 billion expansion of its rocket motor production operations in Orange County that will more than double manufacturing space and create more than 350 jobs over five years.

The company will build the Virginia Advanced Propulsion Facilities to support production operations tied to multiple Department of Defense programs.

“L3Harris’ continued investments in solid rocket motor facilities are bolstering manufacturing capacity for key national defense programs,”  L3Harris President of Missile Solutions Ken Bedingfield said in a statement. “With a talented workforce and a community committed to long-term success, our expanded presence in Virginia will deliver additional capability to the Department of War and our allies.”

The company did not disclose how many facilities are planned for the new expansion or provide a construction timeline.

L3Harris’ Orange County site currently has 256,000 square feet of manufacturing space and serves as the company’s Center of Excellence for Propellant Research and Small to Medium-sized Solid Rocket Motor Production.

“I congratulate L3Harris on its historic expansion in Central Virginia,” Gov. Abigail Spanberger said in a statement. “With a deep talent pipeline and strong track record in the defense and advanced manufacturing sectors, the commonwealth is ready to fill the hundreds of new positions coming to Orange County. L3Harris exemplifies the kind of partnership that builds the future of Virginia, and we look forward to celebrating this investment for many years to come.”

Spanberger approved two grants of $12.5 million and $500,000 from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Orange County with the projects. She also approved a performance-based grant of $5 million from the Virginia Investment Performance Grant, which encourages continued capital investment by existing Virginia companies.

The expansion announced Wednesday builds on L3Harris’ 2024 announcement of a $41.2 million modernization and expansion of the Orange County facility, with plans to add about 80 jobs. Construction began in 2025 on several new facilities, expected to be completed in late 2026, with production starting in early 2027, according to Defense News.

Founded in 2019 with the merger of L3 Technologies and Harris Corp., the company builds technology and equipment for the military, including communications systems and rocket components. The company operates in more than 100 countries and reported $21.9 billion in revenue for 2025.