NORTHAMPTON — The defense contractor L3Harris Technologies, which operates a manufacturing facility on Prince Street, has secured a $4.7 billion, seven-year missile manufacturing contract with Lockheed Martin.
The multiyear contract, according to a press release published on L3Harris’ website last week, will facilitate the production of propulsion systems for the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor — a high-end “hit-to-kill” interceptor used to destroy tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft.
The multiyear contract is L3Harris’ largest PAC-3 propulsion award to date, which aligns with a long-term agreement established with the U.S. Defense Department. The Melbourne, Florida-based company did not specify whether any of the work will occur in Northampton. A company spokesperson did not return a call for comment.
“Receiving this contract at unparalleled speed allows us to continue expanding PAC-3 propulsion production capacity to enable a wartime footing,” L3 Harris Missile Solutions President Ken Bedingfield wrote in a statement. “Supporting America’s Arsenal of Freedom and ensuring warfighters have the munitions needed to deter and defeat evolving threats will continue to be our priority.”
The new contract will support large-scale production of the MSE interceptor’s advanced two-pulse solid rocket motor, attitude control motors and “lethality enhancer” — a small explosive charge fitted on air defense interceptors to release a cloud of metal shrapnel in the event that the missile narrowly misses a target.
Earlier this year, the Defense Department announced a framework agreement with Lockheed Martin worth $58.6 billion to increase annual production of the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor from approximately 600 to 2,000, in an effort to “align industrial capacity to long-term demand required by U.S. forces, allies,” according to a Defense Department press release.
In recent years, L3Harris’ presence in Northampton has sparked controversy among anti-war activists. The defense contractor, valued at $60 billion to $65 billion, works with both the Israeli military and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), among other clients, has been the subject of more than a dozen local protests over the last two years.
Eight protesters were arrested for trespassing at the facility following a demonstration held at L3Harris in April.
In June, police investigated incidents in which the names and personal information of employees from the defense contractor were posted on the windows and doors of downtown businesses and electrical boxes.
“We want to see an end to the war industry that’s dominating the globe. We want to see an end to genocide, the ongoing genocide in Palestine, as well as in the Sudan, which we all understand, is being supported by the UAE, which is supported by us,” local activist Dorothea Melnicoff previously said. “We don’t want more people profiting off of war and death.”
L3Harris broke ground on two new facilities to support PAC-3 MSE in June at its Camden, Arkansas site, an addition that’s expected to enable substantial increases in on-site production and further modernize solid rocket motor manufacturing capabilities. Both production facilities are expected to be operational in 2027.
