US Completes First Iron Dome Missile Production Outside Israel

For the first time, the production of a "Tamir" interceptor missile for the Iron Dome system has been completed in the United States. The factory in East Camden, Arkansas, a joint venture between Israel's Rafael and American company Raytheon, manufactured the first fully assembled Tamir missile on U.S. soil. This facility marks the first production site outside of Israel for these interceptors.

The newly produced missile was delivered to the Ministry of Defense's Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) in a ceremony held at the R2S plant. The establishment of this production line aims to expand the joint manufacturing infrastructure between Israel and the U.S. and increase the overall capacity for interceptor production.

In addition to the Tamir missiles intended for Israel's defense, the plant will also produce the SkyHunter, the American version of the missile, for the U.S. Marine Corps' MRIC system. The Iron Dome system, developed primarily by Rafael under the DDR&D's Arrow Division, has reportedly achieved over 10,000 successful operational interceptions in its 15 years of service.

Moshe Patal, head of the Arrow Division, stated that the new production line is a "significant step in strengthening the joint production capabilities of Israel and the United States," contributing to increased production rates for all defense systems. He emphasized that U.S. aid invested back into American industry bolsters the shared manufacturing base, deepens partnerships with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the U.S. government, and enhances the ability of both nations to protect their citizens.

Shlomo Toaff, a senior executive at Rafael, highlighted the significance of producing the Tamir missile, the system's core component, outside of Israel for the first time. He described it as growth for Rafael in the U.S., combining Israeli engineering with American manufacturing to mutual benefit. The ceremony was attended by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Senator Tom Cotton, Israel's Consul General to the Southwestern United States Adi Farjon, MDA Deputy Director Jason Cuthorne, IDF Military Attaché in Washington Maj. Gen. Tal Politis, and R2S CEO Jonathan Casey, among others.