Radiation Incorporated
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Technology, defense, information technology services |
| Founded | January 1, 1895 in Niles, Ohio, U.S. |
| Founder | Alfred S. Harris |
| Defunct | 2019 |
| Fate | Merged with L3 Technologies to form L3Harris Technologies |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | William M. Brown (CEO) |
| Products | Wireless communication devices, tactical radios, electronic systems, night vision technology, antennas, surveillance technologies, microwave weapon systems, electronic warfare capabilities |
Number of employees | 6,000 (2019) |
Harris Corporation was a U.S.-based technology firm, defense contractor, and provider of IT services, with specialization in wireless communication devices, tactical radios, electronic systems, night vision technology, and antennas for both terrestrial and space applications. Its primary markets included government agencies, defense sectors, emergency services, and commercial enterprises. The company’s main areas of proficiency encompassed surveillance technologies, microwave weapon systems, and electronic warfare capabilities. In 2019, Harris merged with L3 Technologies to establish L3Harris Technologies.
Located in Melbourne, Florida, Harris generated around $7 billion annually and was the largest private employer in Brevard County, Florida, employing approximately 6,000 personnel. Between 1988 and 1999, it operated Intersil under the name Harris Semiconductor.
In 2016, Harris was ranked among the top one hundred federal contractors by Defense News. Earlier, in January 2015, Wired Magazine identified Harris Corporation—alongside the U.S. Marshals Service—as a notable risk to privacy and online communications.
History
Established in 1895 by Alfred S. Harris in Niles, Ohio, the company began as the "Harris Automatic Press Company," focusing initially on lithography and printing press manufacturing before acquiring the typesetting firm Intertype Corporation.
In 1957, Harris acquired Gates Radio, a manufacturer of broadcast transmitters, retaining the Gates brand for numerous products. That same year also saw the acquisition of Intertype Corporation; two years later in 1959, it purchased PRD Electronics, a company specializing in microwave technology.
A significant merger occurred in 1967 with Radiation Incorporated of Melbourne, Florida, broadening Harris’s portfolio to include antennas, integrated circuits, and modem technologies that supported space exploration efforts. This expansion led to relocating the headquarters to Melbourne in 1978. Additional microwave-related acquisitions included RF Communications and Farinon Electric Corporation in 1969. The company divested its printing operations in 1983; these eventually became part of manroland Goss in 2018.
The purchase of Datacraft Corporation in 1974 resulted in the creation of the Harris Computer Systems Division, which developed minicomputers for real-time applications; this division was spun off as an independent entity in 1994. In 1979, Harris entered into a semiconductor joint venture named Matra Harris Semiconductors (MHS), which it exited by 1989; MHS was subsequently acquired by Atmel.
Expanding into dictation and word processing markets in 1983 through acquiring Lanier Business Products contributed roughly one-third of Harris’s revenue by the early 1990s. Lanier was spun off as a separate public company in 1998 but carried over $700 million in debt.
The acquisition of GE's semiconductor operations—including Intersil and RCA’s semiconductor units—in 1988 strengthened Harris’s semiconductor business. In November 1998, Harris divested its commercial and standard military logic product lines to Texas Instruments, retaining only radiation-hardened products. The remaining semiconductor segment was spun off as Intersil in 1999.
By 2005, Harris had invested $870 million into research and development efforts. Among its innovations was a secure Hand Held Computer developed for the 2010 U.S. Census that incorporated fingerprint authentication and GPS technology to enhance data integrity and security.
In January 2011, Harris reinstated its Calgary avionics facility to fulfill a $273 million contract from the Canadian government supporting CF-18 Avionics Optimized Weapon System Support.
In December 2012, Harris divested its broadcast equipment division to the Gores Group for $225 million; this unit operated under the name Harris Broadcast and is currently known as GatesAir.
The May 2015 acquisition of rival Exelis Inc. nearly doubled Harris’s scale. Shortly afterward, in July 2015, it sold its healthcare business to NantHealth.
In January 2017, Harris sold its government IT services segment to Veritas Capital for $690 million; following this transaction, the business was renamed Peraton.
October 2018 marked the announcement of an all-stock merger between Harris and New York-based L3 Technologies, resulting in L3 Harris Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Melbourne, Florida.
To comply with regulatory conditions tied to this merger, Elbit Systems of America acquired Harris’s night vision product line for $350 million in September 2019; this unit was rebranded as Elbit Systems of America - Night Vision.
In 2021, CEO William M. Brown sold nearly $200 million worth of company shares.
Communication Systems
The Communication Systems division of Harris specialized in tactical and airborne radio communications, night vision devices, and networks designed for defense and public safety applications.
Electronic Systems
Harris' Electronic Systems division provided a range of solutions including electronic warfare technologies, air traffic control systems, avionics, wireless communication, command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I), undersea systems, as well as aerostructures.
Among its offerings was the "ALQ-214" radio frequency jamming system developed for the U.S. Navy's F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets. Initially created by Exelis ES—acquired by Harris in 2015—the ALQ-214 enhances electronic warfare operations. This segment also manufactured avionics and targeting components for both the Navy’s F/A-18 and EA-18 Growler aircraft.
Space and Intelligence Systems
Established following the acquisition of Exelis, the Space and Intelligence Systems division delivers solutions in Earth observation, meteorological monitoring, geospatial intelligence, space situational awareness, and advanced analytics. Their portfolio includes sensors, payloads, and ground processing technologies.
Cell-site simulators
Harris developed cell-site simulator devices such as StingRay and Hailstorm, which emulate legitimate cellular towers to intercept wireless voice and data transmissions within a designated area. Initially created for U.S. Navy use and subsequently deployed worldwide in counterterrorism operations, these tools have been increasingly utilized by U.S. law enforcement agencies including the FBI, DEA, and ICE for mobile device surveillance purposes.
These platforms facilitate widespread interception of mobile communications and enable location tracking but have sparked debate over privacy implications. Civil liberties organizations have criticized Harris for requiring government clients to enter into nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) that limit transparency regarding the use of these devices, potentially conflicting with public records laws. Legal challenges brought by groups such as the ACLU have successfully contested these practices.
In 2014, documents obtained through legal proceedings suggested that Harris may have provided misleading information to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) during regulatory approval processes by asserting that their systems were intended solely for emergency situations rather than routine criminal investigations.
There are instances where Harris personnel directly operated StingRay equipment in law enforcement activities without court authorization. For example, in 2006 Harris supported the Palm Bay Police Department during a bomb threat inquiry without obtaining a warrant. In 2015, Santa Clara County ended contract negotiations with Harris due to restrictive conditions on public records related to StingRay devices.
| Device | Year Released | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| StingRay | 2001 | $68,479 | IMSI-catcher used to collect mobile phone metadata and location information |
| StingRay II | 2007 | $134,952 | Advanced IMSI-catcher offering enhanced location tracking and metadata collection |
| Kingfish | 2003 | $25,349 | Surveillance transceiver designed for mobile phone tracking |
| Amberjack | 2002 | $35,015 | Directional antenna supporting mobile phone tracking technologies |
| Harpoon | 2008 | $16,000–19,000 | Signal booster compatible with StingRay or Kingfish systems |
| Hailstorm | Unknown | $169,602 | IMSI catcher capable of intercepting location data, metadata, and content |
| Gossamer | 2001 | $19,696 | Compact IMSI catcher able to perform denial-of-service attacks on mobile devices |
| Triggerfish | 1997 | $90,000–102,000 | Device for real-time interception of mobile conversations; potentially outdated |
Harris Corporation Acquisition History
- Farinon (1980)
- Datacraft Corporation (1974)
- T.W. & C.B. Sheridan Company (1964)
- PRD Electronics (1959)
- Gates Radio (1957)
- Intertype Corporation (1957), which led to the rebranding as Harris-Intertype Corporation
- Lanier Business Products, Inc. (1983)
- Exelis Inc. (2015)
- Carefx (2011)
- Schlumberger Global Communications Services (GCS) Division (2011)
- CapRock Communications (2010)
- SignaCert (2010)
- SolaCom ATC Solutions (2009)
- Tyco Electronics (MA-COM) Wireless Systems (2009)
- Crucial Security, Inc. (2009)
- Zandar Technologies Ltd. (2007)
- Multimax (2007)
- Aastra Digital Video (2006)
- Optimal Solutions, Inc. (2006)
- Leitch Technology (2005)
- Orkand Corporation (2004 – currently operating as Harris IT Services)
- Encoda Systems (2004)
- ImageLinks, Inc. (2004)
- Hirschmann Multimedia Communications Network (2001)
- Exigent International, Inc. (2001)
- Wavtrace, Inc. (2000)
- Lucent Technologies' Point-to-Point Microwave Business Unit (2000)
- Louth Automation (2000)
- Audio Broadcast Group, Inc. (1999)
- Pacific Research & Engineering Corporation (1999)
- CHOICE Microsystems (1999)
- Intraplex, Inc. (1999)
- Agfa Copying Systems, Inc. (1998)
- Trans-Comp, Inc. (1998 – divested alongside Lanier Worldwide)
- Northeast Broadcast Lab (1997)
- NovAtel Communications (1995)
- Triplett Corporation’s Cellular and Telecommunications Division (1995)
Key Individuals
- Asher A. Friesem, former engineering professional
- Howard Lance, previous chief executive officer
- Edythe Perlick, former athlete in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
- Frank Pritt, ex-sales representative
- Joan C. Sherman, pioneering female technical director
Related Topics
- PositiveID, a biotechnology firm based in Florida focusing on tracking technologies for U.S. military applications
External Resources
- U.S. State Department cables concerning Harris Corporation within the "Cablegate" collection
- Florida Stingray FOIA, publicly accessible documents regarding Harris Corp.’s phone surveillance technology
- Police capabilities to manipulate cell phones across 22 states
- Articles with short description
- Former defense companies of the United States
- 1895 establishments in Ohio
- 2019 disestablishments in Florida
- 2019 mergers and acquisitions
- American companies established in 1895
- American companies disestablished in 2019
- Computer companies established in 1967
- Computer companies disestablished in 2019
- Companies based in Brevard County, Florida
- Companies formerly listed on the New York Stock Exchange
- Defunct manufacturing companies based in Florida
- Electronics companies disestablished in 2019
- Electronics companies established in 1895
- Defunct electronics companies of the United States
- L3Harris Technologies
- Melbourne, Florida
- Multinational companies headquartered in the United States
- Printing press manufacturers
- Defunct computer companies of the United States
- Defunct computer hardware companies
- Defunct computer systems companies