Arkansas Raytheon-Rafael Facility Delivers First Fully U.S.-Made Tamir Interceptor to Israel
The Raytheon-Rafael facility in Arkansas has delivered its first fully U.S.-manufactured Tamir interceptor to the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), part of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) at Israel’s Ministry of Defense (IMOD), under the U.S.-Israel cooperative program to support Israel’s defense.
During a ceremony held at the Raytheon-Rafael Area Protection Systems (R2S) facility in East Camden, Arkansas, the first Tamir interceptor built and assembled entirely on U.S. soil was delivered to IMDO. Tamir is the interceptor used by the Iron Dome air and missile defense system.
The Camden facility was established to manufacture Tamir interceptors for the Iron Dome system, which has defended Israel against numerous threats, including during recent regional conflicts. It is the first production site outside Israel to manufacture complete Tamir interceptors.
The facility was established by Rafael in partnership with Raytheon through their joint venture, R2S, as part of a production agreement designed to develop manufacturing capabilities in the United States. It reflects the strategic U.S.-Israel partnership in missile defense, strengthens cooperation between the two countries’ defense industries, creates numerous American jobs, and reinforces U.S. security and its defense industrial base.
“Israel’s multilayered missile defense system, particularly Iron Dome, has repeatedly demonstrated its critical role in saving lives and reducing damage from a wide range of threats in recent years. As part of IMDO’s efforts to accelerate production across all missile defense systems, this new production line represents an important milestone in strengthening Israel’s and the United States’ joint manufacturing capabilities,” said Moshe Patel, Director of the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO).
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is IMDO’s partner under the U.S.-Israel cooperative program. IMDO, which operates within the Ministry of Defense’s DDR&D, is responsible for the Israeli Air Force’s air and missile defense architecture. It leads the development and co-production of the David’s Sling and Arrow weapons systems, as well as the co-production of Iron Dome, in cooperation with MDA and Israeli and American defense industries.
The Tamir interceptor was developed under IMDO’s direction, with Rafael serving as the prime contractor. Over its 15 years of operational service, Iron Dome has recorded more than 10,000 interceptions.
Rafael and Raytheon have been cooperating for more than a decade on Tamir interceptor production as part of the U.S.-mandated work-sharing arrangements for the Iron Dome system.
Caroline Haïat
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