Raytheon-Rafael to Jointly Build Israel’s Famed ‘Iron Dome’

America’s Raytheon Technologies and Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems have formed a partnership to build the iconic Israeli anti-missile defense system, Iron Dome, on American soil. The exact location of the manufacturing facility has not been announced. Iron Dome is the world’s most prolific and efficient missile defense system, with 2,500 intercepts and a success rate exceeding 90%. It was originally conceived and developed in Israel with American funding. It’s now being viewed as a temporary piece of a larger US defense system still in development that is intended to counter drones, rockets and artillery. While the two companies have worked together on Iron Dome for some time, the joint venture will be the first in the US. According to the Israeli partner, the new facility will also produce the Tamir interceptor and its American-version, the SkyHunter, which are capable of intercepting a variety of threats, including cruise missiles, unmanned aircraft, rockets, artillery, and mortars.