L3Harris continues to streamline its portfolio, divesting non-core NASA-oriented assets to focus on the Pentagon’s “Golden Dome” missile defense initiative.
L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) is nearing a definitive agreement to sell a 60% majority stake in a specialized portfolio of its space and propulsion businesses to private equity firm AE Industrial Partners. The transaction, valued at over $500 million for the majority interest, represents a total enterprise value of approximately $845 million for the portfolio.
The deal, which sources indicate could be announced as early as January 5, would see L3Harris retain a 40% minority stake in the businesses. The move is part of a multi-year strategic shift by L3Harris to sharpen its focus on national security and high-priority defense architectures while shedding commercial and civil space lines.
Portfolio Composition and Technical Assets
The assets slated for the stake sale include several critical components of the U.S. space infrastructure:
- RL-10 Rocket Engines: The high-performance cryogenic upper-stage engine currently used by United Launch Alliance (ULA) for the Vulcan and Atlas V rockets.
- In-Space Propulsion: Systems dedicated to satellite station-keeping, orbital maneuvering, and attitude control in increasingly contested environments.
- Exploration Technology: Developing nuclear power solutions for future lunar and Martian applications.
- Launch Electronics: Advanced electronic systems that support ground and flight operations for various space launch vehicles.
Notably, L3Harris will maintain 100% ownership of the RS-25 rocket engine program, the core propulsion system for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) used in the Artemis lunar missions.
Strategic Rationale: The “Golden Dome” Focus
The partial divestiture aligns with L3Harris Chairman and CEO Christopher E. Kubasik’s “Trusted Disruptor” strategy. By offloading a majority stake in these assets, the company aims to reduce its exposure to lower-margin civil space contracts and reinvest capital into the “Golden Dome” initiative.
The Golden Dome is a multi-layered, space-based missile defense architecture designed to track and intercept hypersonic and ballistic threats. L3Harris has already positioned itself as a prime contractor for this program, recently delivering hypersonic ballistic tracking satellites for the Space Development Agency (SDA). Proceeds from the sale are also expected to be used for debt reduction and expanding production capacity for solid rocket motors and munitions.
AE Industrial’s Expanding Space Footprint
For AE Industrial Partners, the acquisition reinforces its position as a major consolidator in the aerospace and defense sectors. The firm’s current space-related portfolio includes York Space Systems, Redwire, and Firefly Aerospace. By acquiring a majority stake in L3Harris’ propulsion assets, AE Industrial gains a critical foothold in the launch supply chain at a time of record demand for satellite deployment.
Timeline and Outlook
The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, pending customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. This divestiture marks another milestone in L3Harris’ transformation; since the 2018 merger of L3 and Harris, the company has divested more than $4 billion worth of non-core assets to streamline its defense-centric operations.