HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – L3Harris Technologies has officially opened its newest Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) production site, the Advanced Manufacturing Facility – South (AMF-South), signalling major growth in missile defence and advanced manufacturing capabilities. The company showcased the state-of-the-art facility to local and state leaders, alongside key customers, during an event on 4 August 2025.
Spanning 379,000 square feet—equivalent to more than six football fields—AMF-South is designed to support increased production and emerging missile defence needs, including President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome initiative. The site focuses on producing inert SRM components such as nozzles, exit cones, aft closures and cases.
“Solid rocket motors remain essential to the vast majority of critical defence programs that protect our communities, military and allies,” said Ken Bedingfield, President of Aerojet Rocketdyne, L3Harris. “Our growth in Huntsville represents another significant investment we are making to boost production capacity of critical components, and we’re proud that they are being made in Alabama.”
L3Harris has invested more than $20 million in renovations and incorporated advanced manufacturing technologies including hydraulic presses, autoclaves, tape-wrap systems, and composite machining equipment. The facility is scalable and flexible, with additional tooling supported by a Title III Defence Production Act cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Defence.
Currently, AMF-South supports major programmes such as the Standard Missile, Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System and Javelin, with plans to expand to other critical projects. The facility has already created 40 new jobs, with expectations of more than 100 additional positions in the coming years.
Alabama’s leadership lauded the expansion as a milestone for the state’s aerospace and defence industries. Governor Kay Ivey praised the project for strengthening both national security and North Alabama’s workforce, while Senator Tommy Tuberville and Representative Dale Strong highlighted the economic and strategic value of the investment. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle noted that the facility reflects the city’s focus on workforce and technology, calling L3Harris “an excellent community partner.”
The AMF-South site complements the company’s 136,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Facility – North, which opened in 2019, cementing Huntsville’s position as a hub for advanced solid rocket motor manufacturing.
SOURCE AND IMAGE: L3 HARRIS
