A major milestone has been reached in defense cooperation between Israel and the United States, with the first Iron Dome air defense interceptor produced entirely on American soil.
At a ceremony held at the R2S manufacturing facility in Camden, Arkansas, the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), part of the Defense Ministry’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development, received the first Tamir interceptor manufactured and fully assembled in the US. The new plant was established by Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in partnership with US defense giant Raytheon.
The Arkansas facility is the first outside Israel capable of producing complete Iron Dome interceptors. According to the Israeli Defense Ministry, establishing production capabilities in the US is part of a joint missile defense strategy aimed at accelerating deliveries and strengthening the two countries’ defense capabilities.
Iron Dome battery. Photo: Defense Ministry Spokesperson’s Office
Protecting Israel and the US Marine Corps
The facility is expected to significantly expand the countries’ joint manufacturing infrastructure. In addition to producing Tamir interceptors to defend Israeli airspace, the plant will manufacture SkyHunter, the American version of the interceptor, for the US Marine Corps’ Medium-Range Intercept Capability air defense system. The facility will thus help meet the air defense needs of both countries’ armed forces.
The ceremony marking the milestone was attended by numerous senior officials, including Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, US Sen. Tom Cotton and Israel’s Consul General to the Southwest United States, Adi Farjon Israel. They were joined by Pentagon representatives, Israel’s military attaché in Washington, Maj. Gen. Tal Politis, and senior officials from Rafael and the Israeli Defense Ministry.