Business Jet Missionization: Decades of Experience

Our business jet support includes platform modernization and fielding solutions to meet the ever-increasing complexities of ISR collection. For example, we’ve applied more than 800,000 labor hours designing, building, integrating, testing, and certifying mission systems on the Bombardier Global series.

L3Harris uses an advanced certification process combining requirements from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as well as the Air Force Advanced Policy Directives (AFPD) to quickly qualify Military Commercial Derivative Aircraft (MCDA).

L3Harris has held an FAA Organizational Designation Authority (ODA) since 1982, further streamlining the qualification and certification process. Our unique position as an ODA allows initial design, fabrication, and certification approval of aircraft modifications, engineering changes, and Supplemental Type Certificates for modification of civil registered aircraft or military aircraft maintained to civil standards. As a result, L3Harris has redesigned, tested, and certified seven unique MCDA-based ISR platforms over the last 10 years.

In addition to our ODA certification, L3Harris is an FAA Class 4 Unlimited Repair Station with all associated tooling, fabrication, and repair capability. Our facilities include nearly two-million square feet of climate controlled, government-certified hangar space, a world class paint facility, and more than 72,000 square feet of secure facilities giving L3Harris the capacity to complete all modifications and repairs without requiring additional government furnished space.

Our one-of-a-kind Multi-Sensor Test Facility includes a comprehensive anechoic chambers and live over-the-air testing from 1 MHz to 40 GHz in a 100,000 square mile FAA approved testing area, which enables rapid multi-discipline sensor certifications and calibrations, reducing schedule, cost, and flight hours required for final system calibration and certification.

L3Harris has extensive experience with Models Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) to improve traceability to system level requirements, reduce errors and defects, improves efficiency, reduce cost, and simplify collaboration and reuse. 

Unlike traditional data-driven documentation, these digital models also allow for virtual prototyping of systems and physics-based simulation. When combined with Agile program processes allow for far more customer/operator feedback early in design phases- resulting in accelerated development schedules and reduced cost to fielding.

In addition to our industry-leading digital engineering practices, L3Harris leverages years of experience with Modular Open System Architectures (MOSA). As a non-traditional Prime integrator, we have designed, fielded, and sustained dozens of platforms leveraging best in class avionics, sensors, radios, datalinks and other mission systems regardless of manufacturer, and without vendor lock. We have invested heavily in modern MOSA systems to ensure compatibility with DOD standards such as Open Mission Systems and Future Airborne Capability Environment, but more importantly understand and embrace the intent of MOSA. We have demonstrated capability to rapidly integrate complex systems using readily available commercial-off-the-shelf components and interfaces to reduce schedule and cost, while remaining Agile and non-rigid in our approaches to MOSA designs.