The joint venture Raytheon-Rafael Protection Systems (R2S) secured a significant $1.25 billion contract to accelerate Tamir Missile Production for air defense capabilities. This direct commercial sales contract mandates that R2S supply Israel with the critical Tamir surface-to-air interceptors, along with missile kits and necessary test equipment, bolstering the country’s Iron Dome Weapon System inventory. This award marks the first production contract received by the R2S partnership between RTX business Raytheon and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
Manufacturing Acceleration in Arkansas
R2S established a new, dedicated manufacturing facility in East Camden, Arkansas, using a $33 million capital investment to support this production surge. The state-of-the-art site is now the first all-up-round production facility in the U.S. dedicated to manufacturing Tamir and its U.S. counterpart, SkyHunter®.
The facility directly supports the Israel Ministry of Defense’s Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) initiative, accelerating the serial production of the interceptors. While the main objective focuses on the Iron Dome system, the new site will also manufacture the SkyHunter variant. This U.S. version of the Tamir interceptor serves the Marine Corps’ Medium-Range Intercept Capability (MRIC) program, offering a robust defense solution against a range of aerial threats, including rockets, artillery, mortars, and cruise missiles.
Tamir Missile Production represents a major milestone for the transatlantic collaboration, reinforcing the U.S. role in manufacturing key components for allied defense systems. The Iron Dome system, operational since 2011, continues to demonstrate exceptional success in combat, validating the importance of this accelerated production effort.
