Tel Aviv: Raytheon, an RTX business, in partnership with Israeli company Rafael, will build a manufacturing facility in East Camden, Arkansas to produce the Tamir missile for the Iron Dome Weapon System and its US variant SkyHunter.
In the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas terror organisation in Gaza, the Iron Dome is achieving 96 % of intercepts.
According to an official release, through the established Raytheon-Rafael Area Protection Systems joint venture, the companies have committed to a $ 33 million capital investment to establish the new facility. Once operational, the facility will produce missiles for the US Marine Corps and other allied partners.
“This new Camden site will be the first all-up-round production facility in the US to help support the Armed Forces and allies across the globe with this highly capable air-defence missile,” said Raytheon’s Tom Laliberty, president of Land & Air Defence Systems and Raytheon-Rafael Area Protection Systems chairman of the board. “This new facility will allow us to expand our presence in Camden and further benefit from the resident talent and expertise of this aerospace and defence epicentre,” he said.
Raytheon and Rafael have teamed for over a decade on Iron Dome, which has more than 5,000 operational intercepts and a success rate exceeding 90%. The US version of the Iron Dome Weapon System’s Tamir, SkyHunter, is a medium-range air defence weapon designed to counter a range of threats, including cruise missiles, manned and unmanned aircraft, rockets, artillery and mortars.
SkyHunter missiles will be produced for the US Marine Corps Medium Range Intercept Capability (MRIC) program.
The joint venture plans to break ground on the new facility before the end of the year with the intent to begin missile production in 2025.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
