US Completes Production of First American-Made Iron Dome Interceptor
Translated & summarized from Hamal by baba
The first "Tamir" interceptor missile for Israel's Iron Dome system, manufactured entirely in the U.S., has been delivered from a facility in Arkansas. This marks a significant expansion of U.S.-Israel defense cooperation, with the plant also producing the American SkyHunter variant for the U.S. Marine Corps. The joint venture between Rafael and Raytheon aims to bolster air defense capabilities for both nations. The Iron Dome system has achieved over 10,000 successful intercepts in its 15-year operational history.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- The first American-made "Tamir" interceptor missile for Israel's Iron Dome system was delivered from Arkansas.
- The new U.S. production facility is a joint venture between Israel's Rafael and American company Raytheon.
- The plant will also produce the SkyHunter, the U.S. version of the "Tamir," for the U.S. Marine Corps.
- The ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials from both the U.S. and Israel.
- The Iron Dome system has completed over 10,000 successful intercepts in 15 years.
- This production expansion strengthens U.S.-Israel strategic defense cooperation.
The first "Tamir" interceptor missile for Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system, fully manufactured and assembled in the United States, has been delivered. The milestone occurred at the Raytheon-Rafael Protection Systems (R2S) facility in East Camden, Arkansas, where the Israeli Ministry of Defense's Arrow Division received the interceptor. This marks the first production site outside of Israel for "Tamir" missiles.
The R2S plant is a joint venture between Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and American company Raytheon, established to bolster the strategic defense cooperation between the U.S. and Israel. The new facility expands the shared production infrastructure for both nations. Beyond producing "Tamir" missiles for Israel's defense, the plant will also manufacture the SkyHunter, the U.S. version of the "Tamir," for the U.S. Marine Corps' MRIC system. This initiative is expected to enhance the air defense capabilities of both countries and strengthen their joint resilience and manufacturing base.
The ceremony was attended by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, Israeli Consul General Adi Farjon, Deputy Director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) MG Jason Kuthorn, IDF Military Attaché to Washington MG Tal Politis, Head of the Arrow Division Moshe Petal, Senior Vice President at Rafael Shlomo Toaff, and R2S CEO Jonathan Casey, among other dignitaries.
The Iron Dome system, developed by the Arrow Division and Rafael, has successfully intercepted over 10,000 targets in its 15 years of operation. The U.S. MDA is a partner with Israel's Ministry of Defense in the joint program to defend Israel against missile threats. The Arrow Division leads the ministry's strategy to accelerate interceptor production and oversees the development and manufacturing of Israel's multi-layered air defense systems, including Arrow, David's Sling, and Iron Dome, in collaboration with the MDA and defense industries in both countries. Rafael and Raytheon have collaborated on missile production in the U.S. for over a decade.
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