L3Harris Technologies is expanding its production capacity and workforce in Tulsa, Okla. to support the growing demand for U.S. special operations intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft.
The company is adding a new production line to its 90,000-square-foot facility in anticipation of the U.S. Special Operations Command Armed Overwatch Program contract award to produce the AT-802U Sky Warden™ aircraft. The company’s new production line is designed to produce fully combat capable Sky Warden aircraft, including the integration of radios, weapons, and other mission systems requirements.
L3Harris teamed with the Texas-based Air Tractor earlier this year to produce Sky Warden – an affordable, production-ready aircraft built on an Air Tractor platform designed for airborne ISR and other missions in extreme combat environments.
“We are investing to develop this combat-ready aircraft with our partners at Air Tractor to address our special operations customer’s critical mission,” said Luke Savoie, President, Aviation Services, L3Harris. “This investment represents L3Harris’ commitment to the Department of Defense, its global partners and customers, Tulsa and the state of Oklahoma.”
The Tulsa community is grateful to see this expansion in our community and investment in our workforce, which will have significant impacts on our region, said Arthur Jackson, Senior Vice President of Economic Development at the Tulsa Regional Chamber. “The aerospace industry has long been a pillar of northeast Oklahoma’s economy and L3Harris is one of our key aerospace employers.”
L3Harris employs more than 260 people at the 90,000 square-foot Tulsa facility, with more than 100 potential job opportunities created by the new production line. The facility spends approximately $3.5 million annually with state suppliers and vendors.
