Harris Corporation
Former American aerospace, defense, communications, and information-technology company that merged with L3 Technologies in 2019 to create L3Harris Technologies.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Harris Corporation was an American technology and defense company whose businesses evolved from nineteenth-century printing equipment into communications, electronics, aerospace, space systems, surveillance technology, and government information services. The company began in 1895 as the Harris Automatic Press Company in Niles, Ohio, founded by Alfred S. Harris. For much of its early history it developed lithographic printing processes and presses, later expanding through acquisitions into typesetting, broadcasting, radio, microwave communications, computing, semiconductors, and telecommunications equipment. A decisive transformation began in the 1950s and 1960s. Harris acquired Gates Radio, Intertype, and PRD Electronics, then merged with Radiation Incorporated of Melbourne, Florida, in 1967. Radiation had developed antennas, integrated circuits, modems, and other technologies associated with the United States space program. The combination shifted Harris toward advanced electronics and government-oriented technology. Corporate headquarters eventually moved to Melbourne in 1978, establishing Florida as the company’s long-term base. During the 1970s and 1980s, Harris diversified aggressively. It acquired Datacraft and created a computer-systems business serving real-time applications; purchased Lanier Business Products, which became a significant contributor to revenue; expanded its microwave and radio assets through acquisitions including RF Communications and Farinon Electric; and entered semiconductors through the acquisition of General Electric’s semiconductor operations and related Intersil and RCA businesses. The company also formed a semiconductor joint venture with Matra. These moves gave Harris a broad technology portfolio but also left it with businesses outside its eventual defense and aerospace focus. Harris subsequently divested or spun off many noncore operations. Its printing activities were sold in 1983. Harris Computer Systems became independent in 1994, and Lanier was separated in 1998. Standard semiconductor product lines were sold to Texas Instruments, while the remaining semiconductor operations were spun off as Intersil in 1999. Broadcast-equipment operations were sold in 2012 and became associated with GatesAir. Healthcare information-technology operations were sold in 2015, and the government IT-services division was sold to Veritas Capital in 2017, later becoming Peraton. By the 2010s, Harris was principally a supplier to defense, intelligence, space, public-safety, and government customers. Its Communication Systems business produced tactical, airborne, and public-safety radios, night-vision equipment, and secure networks. Electronic Systems supplied electronic-warfare equipment, avionics, air-traffic-management systems, C4I technologies, wireless systems, undersea systems, and aerostructures. Space and Intelligence Systems, strengthened by the acquisition of Exelis, worked on space payloads, Earth observation, weather, geospatial monitoring, intelligence analysis, and related ground systems. Harris also developed cell-site simulators, including StingRay and Hailstorm systems, for locating and intercepting mobile-device communications. The company expanded substantially through the 2015 acquisition of Exelis, which added aerospace, defense, electronic-warfare, and space capabilities. In 2018 Harris announced an all-stock merger of equals with L3 Technologies. The transaction closed in 2019, forming L3Harris Technologies, headquartered in Melbourne. Regulatory requirements associated with the merger led to the divestiture of Harris’s night-vision business to Elbit Systems of America. Harris Corporation therefore ceased to exist as an independent public company, although many of its businesses and technologies continued within L3Harris.
History
Harris Corporation originated in 1895 as the Harris Automatic Press Company in Niles, Ohio. Its initial business centered on lithographic printing technology and printing presses. During the following decades it expanded into typesetting through the acquisition of Intertype Corporation and into broadcasting and radio equipment through the purchase of Gates Radio. The company retained the Gates name in parts of its transmitter business even after the acquisition. Harris began moving toward electronics in the late 1950s. The acquisition of PRD Electronics added microwave expertise, while the 1967 merger with Radiation Incorporated brought capabilities in antennas, integrated circuits, and modem technology. Radiation’s Melbourne, Florida operations were closely connected to the space race and became the foundation of Harris’s later aerospace and space businesses. Harris moved its headquarters to Melbourne in 1978. The company diversified further in the 1970s and 1980s. Datacraft contributed to the creation of Harris Computer Systems, which built minicomputers and real-time systems. Harris also acquired RF Communications and Farinon Electric, strengthening microwave and radio communications. The purchase of Lanier Business Products added dictation, word-processing, and computing products and became a major source of revenue by the early 1990s. Harris entered semiconductors through a joint venture with Matra and the acquisition of General Electric’s semiconductor operations, including businesses associated with Intersil and RCA. From the 1980s onward, Harris progressively separated businesses that were not central to its emerging communications and defense identity. Printing operations were sold in 1983. Harris Computer Systems was spun out in 1994. Lanier became an independent public company in 1998. Harris sold standard commercial and military logic semiconductor product lines to Texas Instruments and spun off its remaining semiconductor activities as Intersil in 1999. These transactions reduced exposure to consumer and general-purpose technology markets. Harris continued to build government and communications capabilities. In 1996 it created a joint venture with Shenzhen Telecom Company to produce and market digital microwave radios. In the 2000s it invested heavily in research and development and supplied equipment for government communications, defense networks, and public-safety users. It also developed a handheld computer used in the address-canvassing phase of the 2010 United States census, incorporating fingerprint authentication and GPS functionality. The 2010s brought another period of portfolio reshaping. Harris reopened and expanded its Calgary avionics operation in 2011 to support Canadian CF-18 avionics services. It sold its broadcast-equipment operation in 2012, with the business becoming Harris Broadcast and later GatesAir. The company acquired Exelis in 2015, nearly doubling its scale and adding electronic warfare, avionics, space, intelligence, and geospatial capabilities. Harris sold its healthcare business in the same year and its government IT-services operation in 2017. At the end of its independent history, Harris was organized around communications, electronic systems, and space and intelligence. Its products included tactical radios, secure networks, night vision, electronic-warfare systems, avionics, air-traffic-management technology, space sensors, and intelligence systems. Its StingRay and Hailstorm cell-site simulators generated sustained controversy because they could cause nearby mobile devices to connect to them, enabling location tracking and interception capabilities. Civil-liberties groups criticized secrecy arrangements and challenged the company and public agencies through freedom-of-information and public-records litigation. In October 2018 Harris and L3 Technologies announced an all-stock merger of equals. The transaction closed in 2019, creating L3Harris Technologies. Because L3 already had a night-vision business, regulatory requirements led to the sale of Harris’s night-vision product line to Elbit Systems of America. Harris Corporation consequently became a historical predecessor and brand within the L3Harris lineage rather than an active standalone company.
- 2019
Merger creates L3Harris Technologies
[1]Harris merged with L3 Technologies and ceased operating as an independent corporation.
- 2015
Exelis acquisition completed
[1]The acquisition expanded Harris’s defense, aerospace, electronic-warfare, space, and intelligence capabilities.
- 2012
Broadcast equipment business sold
[1]The broadcast equipment operation was sold to the Gores Group and subsequently became GatesAir.
- 1999
Remaining semiconductor business spun off as Intersil
[1]Harris separated its remaining semiconductor operations into the independent Intersil company.
- 1994
Computer Systems spun out
[1]Harris Computer Systems became an independent company.
- 1983
Printing operations divested
[1]The company sold its original printing operations as it shifted toward electronics and communications.
- 1978
Headquarters moved to Melbourne
[1]Harris relocated its corporate headquarters from Cleveland to Melbourne, Florida.
- 1967
Merger with Radiation Incorporated
[1]The merger added Melbourne-based space-race technologies involving antennas, integrated circuits, and modems.
- 1957
Expansion into broadcasting and typesetting
[1]Harris acquired Gates Radio and Intertype Corporation, broadening its equipment and industrial-technology portfolio.
- 1895
Harris Automatic Press Company founded
[1]Alfred S. Harris founded the company in Niles, Ohio, establishing the printing-technology business that preceded the later aerospace and defense enterprise.
Products and positioning
A mission-critical technology supplier serving defense, intelligence, aerospace, public-safety, space, and government communications customers, with an emphasis on secure networking, electronic warfare, tactical communications, sensing, and information superiority.
Secure communications
Tactical and airborne radios
Harris supplied software-defined and other secure radio systems for military, airborne, public-safety, and government users. These systems were designed to support encrypted voice and data, interoperability across networks, and communications in contested or infrastructure-limited environments.
Surveillance and communications intelligence
StingRay and Hailstorm
These cell-site simulators imitated cellular towers to induce nearby mobile devices to connect to them. Depending on configuration and authorization, the systems could assist with identifying, locating, or intercepting mobile communications. Their use became controversial because nearby devices, including those belonging to people not suspected of wrongdoing, could be affected.
Electronic warfare
ALQ-214
The ALQ-214 is an integrated radio-frequency countermeasure system used on United States Navy F/A-18 aircraft. The capability was associated with Harris’s electronic-systems business after the acquisition of Exelis and formed part of the defensive avionics architecture for fighter aircraft.
Space and aerospace systems
Space and intelligence systems
Harris developed spacecraft sensors, payloads, ground-processing systems, Earth-observation capabilities, weather technology, geospatial-monitoring tools, and intelligence-analysis systems. These products served civil, commercial, intelligence, and defense space missions.
Electro-optical systems
Night vision equipment
Harris produced night-vision equipment for military and other government applications. The product line was sold to Elbit Systems of America in 2019 because the Harris-L3 combination would otherwise have created overlapping night-vision businesses.
Controversies
2014
Cell-site simulator secrecy and privacy controversy
The American Civil Liberties Union, Electronic Frontier Foundation, and Electronic Privacy Information Center challenged the secrecy surrounding Harris cell-site simulators. Criticism focused on nondisclosure agreements, limited public disclosure, and the potential for systems to collect or identify communications and location data from people who were not investigative targets. Litigation produced documents concerning Harris systems and their regulatory review.
2006
Palm Bay school bomb-threat surveillance
Harris employees used StingRay equipment on behalf of the Palm Bay Police Department after a bomb threat at a middle school. The episode was criticized because the search reportedly occurred without a warrant or judicial oversight, raising questions about the legal framework for deploying cell-site simulators.
Brand decisions
2019
Divest night-vision businessOtherBackground
Harris and L3 both had night-vision activities, creating competition concerns during review of their merger.
Action taken
Harris agreed to sell its night-vision product line to Elbit Systems of America for $350 million, with the transaction closing after the merger.
Aftermath
The business was renamed Elbit Systems of America - Night Vision.
Transaction value. $350 million (2019)
2018
Merge with L3 TechnologiesM&ABackground
Harris and L3 Technologies pursued a combination intended to create a larger defense and aerospace technology supplier.
Action taken
The companies announced an all-stock merger of equals, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals.
Aftermath
The transaction closed in 2019 and created L3Harris Technologies.
2017
Sell government IT-services divisionStrategyBackground
Harris continued reducing activities outside its core communications, defense, and aerospace businesses.
Action taken
The government IT-services division was sold to Veritas Capital.
Aftermath
The divested business was renamed Peraton after the transaction.
Transaction value. $690 million (2017)
2015
Acquire ExelisM&ABackground
Harris sought to increase its scale in defense, aerospace, electronic warfare, space, and intelligence markets.
Action taken
Harris completed the acquisition of Exelis, adding businesses and technologies across electronic systems, avionics, space, and intelligence.
Aftermath
The transaction substantially enlarged Harris and became an important step toward its late-period defense and aerospace portfolio.
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