WASHINGTON (Reuters) -L3Harris Technologies plans to expand the size of its Arkansas solid rocket motor production facilities, it said on Thursday, as it seeks a sixfold production increase for large solid rocket motors to meet soaring demand.

The Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in the Middle East have seen demand for arms and military equipment balloon, with militaries around the world aiming to replenish stockpiles, benefiting contractors such as L3Harris.

The Arkansas expansion is the company's latest effort to modernize its capabilities following its acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne and as the U.S. government attempts to develop an expanded homeland missile defense shield dubbed Golden Dome.

The nearly $500 million investment would develop an additional 110 acres, adding more than 20 buildings and 130,000 square feet of manufacturing space to the company's existing 2,000-acre site in Camden.

"Large solid rocket motors are essential to our nation's missile and strategic defense," said L3Harris CEO Chris Kubasik in a statement. "As the Trusted Disruptor, we are strengthening our ability to produce these systems rapidly and at scale, which is essential for current demand and the Golden Dome missile defense shield."

Large solid rocket motors are used in missile defense systems, interceptors, and hypersonic vehicles.

In February, L3Harris began building four solid rocket motor production facilities for smaller tactical weapons at its Camden site in Arkansas.