The Raytheon-Rafael Protection Systems (R2S) joint venture has been awarded a $1.25 billion contract to supply Israel with Tamir surface-to-air missiles. The direct commercial sales contract includes missiles, missile kits and test equipment.
The companies used a $33 million capital investment to establish the new facility, which opened earlier this month in East Camden, Arkansas. The facility was established to support the Israel Missile Defense Organization’s (IMDO), operating within the Israeli MOD’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), initiative to accelerate serial production of Iron Dome interceptors.
The new site will produce the Tamir missiles for the Iron Dome Weapon System and its U.S. variant, SkyHunter for the Marine Corps’ Medium-Range Intercept Capability (MRIC) program.
“This is the first production contract for the R2S joint venture and a major milestone for both Raytheon and Rafael,” said Jonathan Casey, R2S Chief Executive Officer. “The new Camden site is the first all-up-round production facility in the U.S. to manufacture Tamir and SkyHunter missiles.”
Developed by Rafael and operational since 2011, the Iron Dome system has repeatedly proven its effectiveness in combat, intercepting thousands of threats with a success rate exceeding 95%.
Raytheon and Rafael have teamed for over a decade on Iron Dome. The U.S. version of the Iron Dome Weapon System’s Tamir, SkyHunter, is a short to medium-range air defence weapon designed to counter a range of threats, including cruise missiles, aircraft, rockets, artillery and mortars.
