MELBOURNE, Florida, May 11, 2026, 12:08 (EDT)
L3Harris Technologies picked up a fresh assignment from the U.S. Air Force to build critical pieces of the secure digital backbone for the Advanced Battle Management System, or ABMS, the company announced. That puts the defense firm deeper into the Air Force’s effort to connect commanders, sensors, and weapons under one unified battlefield network. No word yet on the value of the contract. L3Harris® Fast. Forward.
The schedule isn’t just a footnote here—ABMS is central. It represents the Air Force’s stake in the Pentagon’s Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control initiative, or CJADC2. The goal: give commanders access to shared data and analytics, speeding up decision-making across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. Ai
L3Harris says its effort aims to shore up ABMS data integration and networking—a foundational task that’s all about collecting data from various sources and stitching them into a live battlefield picture. Kathy Crandall, who leads Mission Networks at L3Harris’ Space & Mission Systems unit, described the infrastructure as a way to deliver “more secure, timely and usable information” to troops and enable them to “connect sensors and shooters across domains.” UK Defence Journal
The award arrives just as defense investors track if command-and-control projects actually transition out of the test phase and into real deployments. On April 30, L3Harris said first-quarter orders climbed to $7.8 billion, backlog hit $40.7 billion, and revenue jumped 12% to $5.7 billion. L3Harris® Fast. Forward.
The ABMS space has drawn plenty of players. Back in 2022, L3Harris landed a spot on the Air Force ABMS Digital Infrastructure Consortium, working alongside Leidos, Northrop Grumman, and SAIC. Their job was to sketch out the network and systems engineering blueprint. That phase outlined the strategy—now, with this latest pick, the focus shifts to actually building out the infrastructure. DefenseScoop
The Air Force is already rolling out parts of the wider network. Sixteen prototypes of the ABMS-linked Tactical Operations Center-Light system have been handed to Airmen for rapid experimentation, with the first operational deployment backing up the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. That’s according to the Air Force. Hill Air Force Base
L3Harris is seeing momentum near one of its sharper growth stories. The Space & Mission Systems unit — which covers mission networks — logged $2.99 billion in first-quarter revenue, a 24% jump from last year. Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance work played a role, along with increased volume in space, mission networks, and maritime projects. SEC
Chief Executive Christopher Kubasik credited a “strong start to the year” in the company’s earnings release, pointing to “robust orders and revenue growth.” He also noted rising demand as the “future of warfare” shifts near-term priorities. For investors eyeing ABMS, that’s the landscape: digital networks are no longer just an IT line item—they’re showing up in the weapons budget. L3Harris® Fast. Forward.
It’s execution that carries the biggest risk here. The Government Accountability Office points out CJADC2 isn’t just one system—it’s described as an approach, using data and analytics to improve battlefield decision-making and communication. All this requires ABMS to mesh with legacy gear, classified channels, custom tools from the services, and contractor tech; any delays, funding shifts, or holes in data-sharing threaten to dilute the program’s impact. GAO
L3Harris plans to tap into advanced data processing and networking to deliver the ABMS digital backbone. For now, with the Air Force holding back specifics on funding, timeline, and project size, this win looks more like a long-term bet than an immediate boost to the top line. L3Harris® Fast. Forward.
