Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems has won a $149.3 million contract from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. to provide key parts for Israel’s Iron Dome rocket-defense system.
Raytheon says it will provide a second source of supply for essential components of Iron Dome’s Tamir interceptor missile, calling the system the only combat-proven weapon to intercept rockets, artillery shells and mortar rounds available for U.S. and its allies.
“The sourcing of Tamir interceptor components in the U.S. will go a long way to ensuring sufficient volumes of available Tamir missiles for Israel’s defense,” Taylor Lawrence, president of Raytheon Missile Systems, said in prepared remarks.
In August, President Obama signed legislation appropriating $225 million in emergency aid for Israel’s Iron Dome system, which has been credited with intercepting hundreds of unguided Hamas rockets during the recent Gaza conflict.
The U.S. reached an agreement with Israel in March that calls for U.S. co-production of interceptor components for the Iron Dome system, which has been credited with intercepting hundreds of Hamas rockets since early July. Raytheon and Rafael signed an agreement to co-market the Iron Dome system in 2011.
The Iron Dome system includes a mobile launcher with 20 Israeli-made Tamir interceptors that use electro-optical sensors to home in on short-range munitions.
“Maintaining Iron Dome’s supply gives Israelis great peace of mind,” said Didi Yaari, CEO of state-owned Rafael.
Israel says the Iron Dome system intercepted more than 700 Hamas rockets in the recent Gaza conflict, or more than 80 percent of rockets targeted by the system, though some weapons experts say those claims are exaggerated.
The U.S. has spent hundreds of millions of dollars helping Israel develop Iron Dome and other missile-defense systems and is poised to spend some $900 million over the next few years.
A defense-spending bill passed by the House in June and a similar measure awaiting floor action in the Senate roughly doubles to $351 million Iron Dome funding the Pentagon had requested for fiscal 2015.
Separately, Congress has OK’d about $97 million the Pentagon wants in fiscal 2015 for two missile-defense co-development programs with Israel — the David’s Sling system being co-developed by Raytheon and Israel’s Rafael, and the longer-range Arrow system, which is co-produced by Israel Aerospace Indus tries and U.S. defense contractor Boeing Co.
According to a U.S. Missile Defense Agency report to Congress obtained by Bloomberg News, funds going to U.S. contractors for Iron Dome components would jump to 30 percent this year and 55 percent next year, from 3 percent previously.
