The Raytheon-Rafael venture R2S has landed a $1.25-billion deal to provide Israel with Tamir interceptors, along with missile kits and testing equipment. The announcement aligns with the opening of a new $33-million production facility in East Camden, Arkansas, established to accelerate the output of components for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system.
The state-of-the-art facility will produce warheads for the Iron Dome’s Tamir interceptors, which have been protecting Israeli cities since 2011. With a reported interception rate above 95 percent, the system remains one of the world’s most reliable short-range air defense tools. The Camden site will eventually expand its production line to build SkyHunter interceptors for the US Marine Corps, a variant designed to defeat short- and medium-range threats, including drones, cruise missiles, and enemy aircraft.
R2S’s new factory integrates into Raytheon’s broader Camden operations, serving as an anchor for increased missile-manufacturing capacity. Raytheon previously confirmed that the facility will support up to 60 skilled jobs once fully active, contributing to Arkansas’ fast-growing defense industrial base.
In addition, Raytheon recently unveiled a separate $400-million investment to develop a solid rocket motor production center nearby. The sprawling 110-acre campus will host more than 20 specialized buildings and boost large rocket motor production by more than six times, according to company disclosures. The motors produced there will support a range of US and allied missile systems, interceptors, and next-generation hypersonic weapons programs.
