Harris Corp. to pour $125 million into R&D in Florida: Florida Tech and UCF will benefit

Wayne T. Price
Florida Today

 

Harris Corp.'s headquarters in Palm Bay.

Harris Corp., headquartered in Melbourne, announced Monday plans to invest more than $125 million in internal research and development in Florida this fiscal year, an outlay the company says will boost high-paying jobs and burnish its role as a global leader in high-tech aerospace and communications.

The research and development primarily will take place at the company’s Central Florida locations and focus on areas such as electronic warfare, robotics, avionics and smallsats.

More:CEO Brown: During Harris-L3 talks, keeping the headquarters in Melbourne was mandatory

More:Record-setting merger of Harris, L3 seeks to capitalize on increased defense spending

The Central Florida region will receive over a third of the company’s overall $300 million-plus annual internal R&D budget – representing an industry-leading 5 percent of company revenue. (The total excludes customer-funded R&D.)

The internal R&D will support the company’s nearly 7,000 employees in Florida, including more than 3,300 engineers and scientists, as well as create new high-paying positions. The company pays an average salary of $95,000 in Florida and has about 375 openings in the state, primarily in engineering.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Miami

The news comes as Harris comes closer to finalizing its merger with L3 Technologies, expected to happen midyear 2019. That merger will create sixth-largest defense contractor with a market value estimated at $34 billion.

“As the largest aerospace and defense company headquartered in Florida, Harris Corp plays an integral role in our state,” U.S. Sen.Marco Rubio, R-Miami, said in a statement about the Harris investment. 

“With the announcement of this research and development, I’m pleased to see that they are continuing to invest in our state’s aerospace industry and economy as well as the future of U.S. national security,” Rubio said.

The Harris investment will also help the company's  partnership with companies and universities in Florida, including the Melbourne-based Florida Institute of Technology and the University of Central Florida.

“Our industry-leading R&D investment is good for our stakeholders and the state – advancing the company’s technical capabilities and bringing high-quality jobs to the area,” said William M. Brown, Harris chairman, president and CEO.

said William Brown, Harris' president, chief executive officer and board chairman.

“We strive to advance technology initiatives at all levels by supporting emerging technology today and the workforce of tomorrow.”

Harris has 15 locations with 3.5 million square feet of office and manufacturing space, including the 464,000-square-foot Harris Technology Center and 23,000-square-foot Global Innovation Center.

“As one of the largest public companies headquartered in Florida, Harris remains a strong asset to Brevard’s economy. This R&D commitment will not only generate new high-paying positions, it will further innovation and boost investment in our community,” said Lynda Weatherman, president and CEO of the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast. “This is one of the most profound investments I can recall focused on advancing technology in Brevard County, and I’m so proud Harris is a part of the Space Coast community.”

 

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Contact Price at 321-242-3658 or wprice@floridatoday.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @Fla2dayBiz.