Interceptions of the Iron Dome in the northern sky/Walla system!
Are Rafael and its American partner Raytheon preparing for large export orders for the Iron Dome interceptor following the Iron Swords War?
As published in October in Walla!, the state of Arkansas in the south-central USA was chosen by the two companies as the site where the production line of the Tamir missiles of the system will be established. Originally, there was talk of an investment of 33 million dollars and 30 new jobs, but at the ceremony of laying the cornerstone for the plant held last week, it became clear that the scope of the plant has been doubled: it will be built at a cost of 63 million dollars and will employ 60 workers.
The production line in the US is expected to start operating at the end of 2025, and will not replace the existing production line at one of the Rafael facilities in the north, but will join it.
The American factory is designed to supply interceptors to the arms of the American army and its allies, while production for the Air Force and Navy, which installed the naval dome system on its Saar 6 ships, will continue in Israel. However, the existence of another production line could allow for an increase in supplies to the IDF. in times of emergency.
Iron Dome interception over Ashkelon/Reuters
The Israeli production line will continue to receive components manufactured in the USA for the missile, in accordance with the demand of the American government that finances the production, that 50% of the production work will be carried out in the USA and will provide work for American factories.
The Biden administration announced after the start of the war that the US would provide Israel with special aid amounting to 14.1 billion shekels, of which 3 billion dollars is earmarked for the production of 14,000 Tamir interceptors. The aid was already approved last month by the US Senate, but is still delayed in the US House of Representatives.
That's because it is included in a package that includes $60 billion in aid to Ukraine, which Republicans oppose.
In the meantime, all that is known is the intention of the US Marine Corps, the Marines, to purchase approximately 1,900 Sky Hunter missiles, the marketing name of the Tamir abroad, and 44 launchers for a new air defense system with which it will be equipped, in a deal worth several tens of millions of dollars.
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Marines, Marines, in training at Ferris Island, South Carolina, 2005/AP
The US Army, which purchased two Iron Dome batteries in a deal worth $340 million in 2018, did not put them into operational service and they were transferred to the IDF as part of American aid in the Iron Swords War, to strengthen Israel's air defense system.
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