Aerospace
L3Harris Invests Over $100 Million in Los Angeles Propulsion Expansion
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L3Harris Technologies (LHX ) is investing more than $100 million in a self-funded expansion of its Canoga Park site in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles to increase manufacturing and assembly capacity for critical programs, according to a company announcement published in its Missile Solutions newsroom on October 8, 2026.
The expansion, launched in summer 2026, will add almost 35,000 square feet of manufacturing and assembly space at the site. L3Harris said the project is intended to increase production capacity and support a variety of key defense and space programs, and described it as the site’s largest expansion in more than a decade.
The Canoga Park site has specialized in designing, developing and manufacturing liquid propulsion for more than 70 years, powering critical defense and space capabilities, according to the company.
The expansion will support the recent framework agreement to quadruple Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) propulsion production. It will also support additional critical programs at the site, including the RS-25 engines that power NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Attitude Control System (ACS) for the Missile Defense Agency’s Next Generation Interceptor (NGI).
L3Harris said the flight-proven RS-25 engines recently powered the SLS rocket on its Artemis II mission. The company described the Liquid Divert and Attitude Control System as a highly responsive thruster system that keeps THAAD’s kinetic kill vehicle on target during the later stages of an intercept.
“L3Harris is investing across our sites to increase our production capacity and ensure we grow at a rapid pace to meet evolving mission demands,” said Scott Alexander, President of Propulsion Systems within the company’s Missile Solutions segment. “Our most recent expansion in California reinforces our commitment to expanding liquid propulsion production for our Department of War and NASA customers.”
Manufacturing Modernization and Workforce
The Canoga Park site operates with a mixed-model approach in which most equipment and process areas are multi-purpose to support numerous programs. According to L3Harris, the expansion will significantly increase production capacity not only through the added square footage but also through modern equipment, advanced automation and increased capabilities.
As part of the expansion, the site is adding nine new turn mills to the manufacturing floor. To assist with small component processing for multiple programs, the site will also add two 5-axis mills and additional equipment to increase manufacturing capacity. The company said multiple areas in the site’s machining division, where teams perform work including chamber machining, will gain increased capacity as part of the project.
The project will also create opportunities to grow the site’s workforce, enhancing specialized skillsets and supporting continued high-performance operations, according to the company.
“Our Canoga Park site is an industry leader in developing liquid propulsion systems, and this expansion enables our team to continue to modernize production of these capabilities for the future,” said Mark Farley, Vice President of Operations and Program Excellence for Missile Solutions at L3Harris. “We’re strengthening our ability to deliver high-precision liquid propulsion capabilities at the speed and scale our customers require, ensuring we meet the nation’s most urgent needs.”
Greg Burns, Director of Operations at the Canoga Park site, said the operation is gaining momentum in liquid propulsion production, which he attributed to the teamwork and dedication of the site’s workforce. Burns said the team remains committed to innovation as it continues to deliver critical technologies for space and defense operations.
Propulsion Investment Across Four States
L3Harris framed the Canoga Park expansion as an example of how the company is answering the Department of War’s call to speed production of critical munitions. Across its propulsion production sites in Alabama, Arkansas, California and Virginia, the company said it is investing billions of dollars, constructing approximately 60 facilities and adding more than one million square feet of manufacturing space.
