First iron dome Tamir interceptor fully produced in the U.S. delivered to Israel

Raytheon-Rafael facility in Arkansas delivers its first fully American-made Tamir interceptor to the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), within the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) of the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD), as part of the cooperative U.S.-Israel program for the defense of Israel.

At a ceremony held at the Raytheon-Rafael Area Protection Systems (R2S) facility in East Camden, Arkansas, the first Tamir interceptor fully built and assembled on U.S. soil was delivered to IMDO. Tamir is the interceptor of the Iron Dome air and missile defense system.

The Camden facility was built to produce Tamir interceptors for Iron Dome, which has defended Israel against a wide range of threats, including in 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 R2S joint venture, as part of a production agreement to build manufacturing capabilities in the United States. It reflects the strategic partnership between the United States and Israel in missile defense, advancing work-sharing between the two countries’ defense industries, creating numerous American jobs, and strengthening U.S. security and the defense industrial base.

The ceremony was attended by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders; U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Deputy Director and Acting Director for Test, Maj. Gen. Jason D. Cothern; IDF Military Attaché in Washington, Maj. Gen. Tal Politis; Consul General of Israel to the Southwest Adi Farjon; IMDO Director Moshe Patel; Rafael Executive Vice President and Head of the Air and Missile Defense Division Shlomo Toaff; R2S CEO Jonathan Casey; and additional representatives and guests from the United States and Israel.

MDA is IMDO’s partner in the cooperative U.S.-Israel program. IMDO, within the Ministry’s DDR&D, is responsible for the air and missile defense architecture of the Israeli Air Force and leads the development and co-production of the David’s Sling and Arrow weapon systems, and the co-production of Iron Dome, together with MDA and the defense industries in Israel and the United States.

The Tamir interceptor was developed under the leadership of IMDO, with Rafael as prime contractor. Iron Dome has recorded more than 10,000 operational interceptions over 15 years of service.

Rafael and Raytheon have cooperated on Tamir interceptor production as part of U.S. workshare requirements for Iron Dome for more than a decade.

File photo courtesy Rafael