EAST CAMDEN, Arkansas, — The first Tamir interceptors fully manufactured and assembled in the United States for Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system have been delivered at the Raytheon-Rafael Protection Systems (R2S) facility in East Camden, Arkansas. The missiles were handed over to Israel’s Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), part of the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development.
The delivery marks the first time complete Tamir interceptors have been manufactured outside Israel. Previously, American companies supplied components, while final assembly took place in Israel.
US-Israel Defence Partnership
The delivery ceremony was attended by Israeli Defense Attaché Maj. Gen. Tal Politis, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Senator Tom Cotton, IMDO Director Moshe Patel, Rafael Executive Vice President Shlomo Toaff, R2S CEO Jonathan Casey, US Missile Defense Agency Deputy Director Maj. Gen. Jason D. Cothern, Israeli Consul General Adi Farjon, and other defence officials and industry representatives.
The ceremony coincided with the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel. Cotton remembered the more than 1,000 Israelis, Americans and citizens of other countries killed or kidnapped during the attacks and highlighted the project's security and economic benefits.
“Iron Dome is not just a military tool or a defense system. It is a symbol of the security of our nation and our people,” Politis said, adding that the Israeli-American alliance strengthens the system.
Sanders, who attended the facility's groundbreaking in 2024 and its opening in November 2025, welcomed the first Arkansas-produced interceptors and praised the partnership between the state, Camden community and R2S.
$63 Million Facility Expands Production
R2S is a joint venture between Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Raytheon, a subsidiary of RTX. Rafael developed Iron Dome with Israel's Ministry of Defense, while Raytheon has collaborated with Rafael for more than a decade on interceptor production under US workshare requirements linked to American funding.
The $63 million facility is expected to create up to 60 jobs. Announced in 2023 following discussions at the Paris Air Show, the project initially involved approximately $33 million and 30 jobs. Construction began in February 2024 at Highland Industrial Park in East Camden, using existing RTX production capacity in the area.
When the plant opened in November 2025, R2S received a $1.25 billion contract to supply Israel with Tamir missiles, kits and testing equipment.
R2S CEO Jonathan Casey said the delivery marks the start of US production for the Iron Dome Weapon System, strengthening the American industrial base and providing the United States and its allies with an additional reliable source of interceptors.
SkyHunter Production for US Marine Corps
The Arkansas facility will also manufacture SkyHunter, the US variant of the Tamir interceptor, for the US Marine Corps' Medium-Range Intercept Capability (MRIC) air defence system. The Marine Corps has been testing and fielding Iron Dome-based technology to improve protection against rockets, cruise missiles, aircraft and drones.
Rafael executive Shlomo Toaff said the facility provides another reliable source of Tamir interceptors while supporting the Marine Corps' SkyHunter programme.
Tamir Interceptor Capabilities
The Tamir interceptor is designed to counter short-range rockets and other aerial threats at ranges of approximately 4 to 70 kilometres. Iron Dome entered operational service in 2011 and has recorded more than 10,000 successful interceptions. The system has helped protect Israeli civilians and approximately 250,000 Americans living in Israel from rocket and missile attacks, according to the information provided.
IMDO Director Moshe Patel said Iron Dome and Israel's wider multi-layered missile defence system have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to save lives and reduce damage. He added that the new production line strengthens joint manufacturing capabilities as both countries seek to accelerate missile defence production.
R2S plans to increase production at Camden to meet demand from the United States, Israel and allied countries. The facility will provide Israel with an additional source of Tamir interceptors while supporting US defence requirements and broader bilateral missile defence cooperation, which also includes work on David's Sling and Arrow.
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