Tamir interceptors built in the United States have been delivered for the first time from Raytheon-Rafael Protection Systems’ (R2S) new manufacturing facility in East Camden, Arkansas. The delivery marks the beginning of U.S. production of complete interceptor missiles for Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system.

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission announced the milestone on Oct. 7, 2026. Israel’s Ministry of Defense subsequently confirmed that the first fully American-manufactured interceptor had been handed over to the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO). RTX, Raytheon’s parent company, issued its own announcement on Oct. 9.

The achievement establishes a second manufacturing location for the Israeli-developed missile outside its original production base. The Arkansas facility is also intended to manufacture SkyHunter, a U.S. variant being developed to support the Marine Corps’ Medium Range Intercept Capability (MRIC) program. However, production of that variant has not yet been confirmed.

First U.S.-Built Tamir Interceptors Delivered to Israel

R2S is a joint venture between RTX’s Raytheon and Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. The companies established their East Camden operation to manufacture Tamir interceptors, the missiles used by Israel’s Iron Dome system to engage rockets and other aerial threats.

According to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the first interceptor manufactured and assembled entirely in the United States was delivered to IMDO during a ceremony attended by American and Israeli officials. Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and senior representatives of Rafael, Raytheon and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency participated in the event.

RTX described the delivery as the start of domestic production for the Iron Dome weapon system. The company said the factory is increasing output to address demand from Israel and the United States for short- and medium-range air defense equipment.

The announcements did not establish the total number of missiles included in the initial shipment or disclose the facility’s production rate. They also did not provide a timetable for subsequent deliveries.

Arkansas Factory Expands Iron Dome Production

R2S opened its East Camden facility in November 2025. The project initially involved a $33 million investment and plans for approximately 30 jobs, according to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. State officials said in October 2026 that the expanded project represented $63 million in capital investment and could create up to 60 jobs.

In November 2025, RTX announced that R2S had received a $1.25 billion direct commercial sales contract to provide Tamir surface-to-air missiles to Israel. The agreement includes complete missiles, missile kits and test equipment. RTX said the contract supports an Israeli government initiative to accelerate interceptor production.

Although the contract establishes an important commercial foundation for the Arkansas operation, the October 2026 delivery announcement did not explicitly identify which contract action covered the first completed missiles. It would therefore be premature to assign a delivery quantity or value to this specific handover.

The new facility extends a manufacturing partnership that previously involved U.S. participation in Iron Dome component production. Complete missile assembly in Arkansas gives the joint venture an additional production location, although its future manufacturing capacity has not been publicly quantified.

SkyHunter and the Marine Corps MRIC Program

Beyond manufacturing Israeli Tamir interceptors, R2S plans to produce SkyHunter, the American variant intended for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Medium Range Intercept Capability program. RTX describes SkyHunter as a short- to medium-range interceptor designed to counter threats such as cruise missiles, aircraft, rockets, artillery and mortars.

MRIC combines a mobile launcher using Iron Dome-derived interceptors with American radar and command-and-control equipment. Israel’s Ministry of Defense reported successful Marine Corps live-fire training with the integrated system in October 2024.

The Marine Corps has already received Tamir interceptors for MRIC. Breaking Defense reported in May 2026 that Israel’s defense ministry and Rafael delivered an initial batch to support the first operational MRIC platoon. Those earlier deliveries preceded the Arkansas production milestone and should not be confused with the newly manufactured missiles.

On June 30, 2026, Marines from III Marine Expeditionary Force successfully engaged an aerial target using MRIC during Exercise Valiant Shield on Guam. A subsequent Marine Corps report described the system as filling an air defense gap between short-range Stinger weapons and longer-range Patriot capabilities.

Separately, RTX and Rafael’s U.S. affiliate offered SkyHunter for the Army’s Enduring Shield interceptor competition. As The Aviation Diary previously reported, Boeing-Anduril and Lockheed Martin advanced in that competition, while the status of the Rafael-associated proposal remained unconfirmed.

The October 2026 Camden announcement confirms production of Israeli-configured Tamir missiles. It does not establish that SkyHunter production has begun at the factory or that the newly delivered interceptors are intended for the Marine Corps.

FAQ: Arkansas-Built Tamir Interceptors

Who received the first Arkansas-built Tamir interceptor?

Israel’s Ministry of Defense said the first fully U.S.-manufactured interceptor was handed over to the Israel Missile Defense Organization. The announcements did not establish the total quantity included in the initial delivery.

What is the difference between Tamir and SkyHunter?

Tamir is the interceptor developed for Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system. SkyHunter is the U.S. variant intended to support American air defense applications, including the Marine Corps’ MRIC program.

Has SkyHunter production started in Arkansas?

Not according to the information released so far. RTX confirmed the first domestically produced Tamir deliveries but described SkyHunter manufacturing at the Camden facility as a future plan.

Looking Ahead

R2S intends to expand production at its Arkansas facility while preparing for the planned manufacture of SkyHunter interceptors. The next developments to watch are disclosure of manufacturing output, additional delivery quantities and confirmation of when the U.S. variant will enter production. Neither RTX nor the available government announcements establish a firm schedule for those milestones. The Camden delivery confirms the start of complete Tamir interceptor production in the United States, but not yet the scale of its future output.

Sources

The Aviation Diary Editorial Desk

Written by

The Aviation Diary Editorial Desk

More from this author →