The announcement marks the first direct-to-supplier partnership of this kind, with the government’s investment in L3Harris’ Missile Solutions business set to make that division a separate company.
This partnership positions the DOD and L3Harris to negotiate multi-year procurement agreements for solid rocket motors, which the department called “vital to several critical munitions,” pending Congressional authorization and appropriations.
An initial public stock offering is planned in the second half this year, the DOD said.
A convertible security can be converted into a different type of security or stock, usually bonds or ownership shares.
“This investment will expand production capacity of a critical node to national security and the munitions industrial base,” the DOD said in its recent announcement.
“We are fundamentally shifting our approach to securing our munitions supply chain,” Michael Duffey, under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, said in a statement. “By investing directly in suppliers we are building the resilient industrial base needed for the arsenal of freedom. This direct-to-supplier model is a crucial step toward replenishing stockpiles, rebuilding our military, and reestablishing deterrence by ensuring the availability of critical components.”
L3Harris has about 800 employees in Mason. The company’s workforce in Warren County has focused on space exploration, as well as military and defense systems. L3Harris also focuses on infrared detection and space and missile electronics.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Asked if the investment will benefit the Mason location, a spokeswoman for L3Harris issued a statement saying, “Our site in Mason, Ohio is a vital part of our mission to deliver advanced technology solutions for national security. For more than 100 years, the talented Mason team has pioneered cutting-edge electro-optical/infrared sensors.
“As we look to the future, we remain committed to modernizing our facilities and having the workforce in place to meet the critical needs of our customers,” the company said.
In August 2023, NASA officials visited the company’s Mason campus to personally think L3Harris workers for their contributions.
The company’s area workers have worked on aspects of the core stage and avionics of the NASA Artemis program — the program that this year is scheduled to send four NASA astronauts on a 10-day journey around the moon and back for the first time since the Apollo program.
L3Harris was formed by the combination of Harris Corp. and L3 Technologies Inc. in 2019 to create what was then seen as the sixth-largest aerospace and defense contractor.
The L3Harris predecessor company moved from Evendale to Mason in 1985.
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