By: Emanuel Fabian – The Times of Israel; timesofisrael.com
Deal with Rafael partner Raytheon, expected to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, includes 44 launchers and US-made command centers
The United States Marine Corps plans to acquire three batteries of Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system with nearly 2,000 interceptor missiles, according to an official notice of intent published Thursday, in a deal that is likely to cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
The deal would be signed with the US-based Raytheon, with which the Iron Dome’s manufacturer, Rafael, has a partnership.
An existing prototype system — known as the Marine Corps’ Medium-Range Intercept Capability (MRIC) — combines the Iron Dome’s launcher and Tamir interceptor missiles with a Marines radar and command center.
The US Marine Corps has conducted two successful series of tests with MRIC, in July and October 2022.
According to the notice of intent published to the System for Award Management site, which collects data on US acquisitions and contracts, the Marine Corps plans to procure three MRIC batteries with 1,840 Tamir interceptor missiles, 44 launchers and 11 US-made command centers.
Additionally, the Marine Corps intends to procure 80 Tamir missiles for the initial MRIC prototype, as well as “logistics and technical support” for all the systems.
The exact cost of the deal was not published but was expected to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
cont’d…