L3Harris showcases public‑safety radios and drone‑mitigation tools to Transportation and Public Safety Budget committee

L3Harris representatives told the Transportation and Public Safety Budget committee that the company’s communications systems power everyday services and public‑safety operations, and they described hardware and software designed for first responders and to detect and mitigate drones.

Harry Maddox, introduced as L3Harris’s senior critical solutions architect, said the company brings military‑grade communications to civilian first responders and highlighted the Falcon 3 multiband radio. "We are the largest supplier of communications products for the Department of Defense," Maddox said, and he described efforts to adapt that technology for police, fire and emergency services.

Maddox emphasized the company’s focus on durability and safety standards, saying the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently published a stringent radio certification that includes extreme heat and water‑immersion tests. He described the standard’s requirements in detail, saying a certified radio must withstand repeated exposures to 500°F for 30 minutes and a 1,700°F heat blast test, among other trials.

The presentation included a short company video that framed L3Harris’s work around first‑responder safety: "We're here for the heroes," the video stated.

Committee members asked a range of follow‑ups during a question‑and‑answer period. Representative Bloom asked how the firm’s technology was used in the reported operation to capture Maduro; Maddox replied that the operation relied on a mix of jammers, decoy drones and coordinated aircraft and said L3Harris equipment was among interoperable systems used in such missions. Representative Resnick asked what happens if a military radio is compromised; Maddox said devices use multi‑key encryption and can be remotely disabled or "killed" if necessary.

On procurement and manufacturing, Maddox said much of L3Harris’s production occurs in the United States and pointed to specific facilities, saying tactical "green radios" are made in Rochester, New York. When Representative Ballas asked whether the company’s equipment would be affordable for local police and fire agencies, Maddox asserted that L3Harris systems are "a lot less expensive" than the current statewide vendor.

Maddox also discussed drone detection and mitigation technology the company markets or invests in. He said Congress included approximately $250 million for counter‑UAS (CUAS) detection and mitigation in recent funding tied to the World Cup and that some local jurisdictions received allocations (Maddox cited roughly $4.3 million for Kansas City). Maddox described layered responses to an unauthorized drone over a crowd—detect, assess, attempt to redirect or return the drone to its operator, or, if necessary, neutralize it: "We can take it out of the sky," he said.

Representative Hoy raised a prior settlement involving L3 Technologies and the Department of Defense; Maddox told the committee he would provide a written summary of corrective actions and cited remediation of paperwork and certification procedures.

The committee did not take formal action on procurement or policy during the session. The presentation ended with no votes and Chairman Anderson adjourned the meeting.