r/Navajo

**RTX Coporation, formerly Raytheon Technologies, operates a missile systems facility within the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry (NAPI) south of Farmington, New Mexico.**¹ NAPI is an industrial park that spans 250 acres (101.17 hectares) and is split into 18 lots that are exclusively for lease. The site is one of eight industrial locations found within the Navajo Nation. 72,000 acres (29137.36 hectares) of staple crops, small grains and organic produce is grown in these lots including corn, potatoes, pinto beans, wheat and alfalfa.

¹ Raytheon Technologies and the Navajo Nation have worked together for over 25 years.

The Raytheon Diné Facility (RDF) spans a total area of 98,000 square feet (9,104.49 square meters), with **68,000 square feet (6,317.40 square meters)**² allocated for manufacturing, and **30,000 square feet (2,787.09 square meters)**³ designated for warehousing. Raytheon Diné Facility (RDF) operates as both an electro-mechanical and mechanical assembly facility. Raytheon Diné Facility (RDF) manufactures and provides components for various defense programs, along with range monitoring and telemetry systems, plus cabling and storage services. The Raytheon Diné Facility (RDF) brings in $2.8 million annually to the Navajo Nation and the nearby areas.

² In 2007, RTX Corporation entered a 10–year lease for the facility. In 2008, RTX Corporation expanded its facility at NAPI, increasing its area from 38,000 square feet (3,530.31 square meters) to 68,000 square feet (6,317.09 square meters). This $6 million expansion was funded through contributions from RTX Corporation, the Navajo Economic Development Fund, and the Tribal Infrastructure funds of the State of New Mexico.

³ In 2014, former Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly announced the installation of the 30,000 square foot (2,787.09 square meter) warehouse, valued at $5 million. The project was approved by New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez. The Navajo Nation contributed $3.3 million from its Business and Industrial Development Funds to finance the construction, shile the remaining budget was funded by the state of New Mexico. Upon its completion in 2017, the facility is set to be leased to RTX Corporation.

93% of the workforce comprises Navajo–Diné people. Raytheon Diné Facility (RDF) specifically depends on graduates from universities and colleges including Navajo Technical University (NTU), Diné College⁴, **Arizona State University (ASU)**⁵ and the **University of New Mexico (UNM)**⁶. **New Mexico Technical University (NMTech)**⁷, **New Mexico State University (NMSU)**⁸, and **Central New Mexico Community College (CNM)**⁹ also work with Raytheon Diné Facility (RDF) and RTX Corporation. These universities and colleges offer degree prpgrams and training that are directly linked to defense contractors and institutions associated with manufacturing and assembling weapons systems such as RTX Corporation, Los Alamos Laboratory and Sandia Labs.

⁴ Raytheon Diné Facility (RDF) specifically hires graduates from Navajo Technical University (NTU) and Diné College establishing a pipeline for employment opportunities at RTX Corporation for students. Navajo Technical University (NTU) provides degree programs linked to Raytheon Diné Facility (RDF) through courses in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Advanced Manufacturing Technology.

⁵ RTX Corporation built a 28,000 square foot (2,601.28 square meter) SkySong Innovation Center to train students and provide internships with with various defense contractors and institutions. Arizona State University (ASU) collaborates with RTX Corporation on engineering projects, and researchers from Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU also collaborate with RTX Corporation.

⁶ University of New Mexico (UNM) provides degree programs linked to Raytheon Diné Facility (RDF) through courses in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. Recruiters from RTX Corporation also participate in Career Fairs at UNM.

⁷ New Mexico Technical University (NMTech) provides degree programs and training related to defense weaponry, including a partnership with RTX Corporation through its Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (EMRTC). EMRTC and RTX Corporation collaborated on testing directed–energy and kinetic kill vehicles, mant of which were tested at White Sands Missile Range.

⁸ New Mexico State University (NMSU) provides degree programs linked to defense weaponry through courses on Aerospace Engineering, and NMSU’s Physical Science Laboratory provides training.

⁹ Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) provides degree programs linked to defense wesponry through its engineering, manufacturing, technology, and logistics curricula.

Raytheon Diné Facility (RDF) manufactures 12 missile programs for the United States including the Tomahawk Cruise Missile¹⁰, FGM–148 Javelin anti–tank missiles, Advanced Medium Range (AMR) air–to–air missiles, FIM–92 Stinger portable air defense missiles¹¹, Tube–Launched Optically–Tracked, Wire–Guided (TOW) anti–tank missile system, supersonic Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM), M982 Excalibur artillery projectiles, and Phalanx Close–In Weapon System (CIWS) gatling guns. RDF also manufactures hardware for Counter–UAS Technology such as the **Coyote Unmanned Aircraft System (C–UAS)**¹².

¹⁰ Tomahawk Cruise Missiles are the most used air–to–air missiles globally. RTX Corporation reports that over 2,300 Tomahawk missiles have been used in various United States military operations, excluding those used in Iran. In February 2026, RTX Corporation announced a contract with the United States military in which they will manufacture an additional 1,000 Tomahawk missiles. Tomahawks are currently manufactured at a Raytheon facility in Tuscon, Arizona.

¹¹ Stingers are utilized by 19 countries and nations, and are in service across all four branches of the United States military, having been operational since 1981. The United States Ground Based Air Defense (GBAD) and the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) specifically rely on Stingers to counter low-altitude aerial threats. In 2024, a total of 1,900 Stingers were manufactured. RTX Corporation landed a $51.9 million contract for Stinger missile production in 2025, with the project set to be completed by September 2026. In September 2023, RTX Corporation and Lockheed Martin received a contract to create Next-Generation Short Range Interceptors (NGSRI) to replace Stingers. The missiles integrate a portable launch assembly and are armed with precision optics missile seekers. However, in 2025, the United States Army announced plans to enhance the range of Stingers by switching from solid rocket fuel to solid fuel ramjet propulsion technology.

¹² Coyote Unmanned Aircraft System (C–UAS) is a tube–launched drone that can be deployed from various platforms including ground, air or maritime vessels. These drones are armed with seekers and warheads and are used to detect and counter Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Coyote Block 3 Non–Kinetic (NK) versions are also used to counter UAVs. Coyote drones are capable of operating as a single unit or in coordianted swarms. These drones are used in missions involving surveillance, electronic warfare and strike operations. In 2016, Coyote drones were tested in a swarm formation over land and sea.

RTX Corporation is one of the largest defense contractors in the United States, and the largest aerospace and defense manufacturers globally. RTX Corporation supplies armaments to various nations including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Germany, Japan, Kuwait, Taiwan, Greece, Spain, South Korea and Qatar. The MIM–104 Patriot interceptor missile defense system for example is operational in 19 countries including the United States, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and Spain. RTX Corporation manufactures other defense systems including Standard Missile–3 (SM–3) ballistic missiles, Standard Missile–6 (SM–6) ballistic missiles, AIM–7 Sea Sparrow missiles, AGM-62 Walleye glide bombs, AGM-65 Maverick air–to–ground missiles, supersonic AGM-88 High–Speed Anti–Radiation Missiles (HARM), and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. **RTX Corporation also manufactures components and instruments for satellites.**¹³

¹³ RTX Corporation is working on imaging sensors for the Landsat Next Instrument Suite (LandIS) for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The LandIS project includes 26 satellites, but RTX has been contracted to create 3 instruments for this project, with a chance for one more satellite. Since the 1970s, RTX has been involved in LandIS missions, providing instruments for missions 2 through 7. The LandIS program offers the most comprehensive Earth observation data records available globally. The images collected are used in agriculture, water management, forestry, and climate research.

Since the 1990s, RTX Corporation has been involved in over 90 legal cases¹⁴ across various states, including Arizona, California, and Kansas, concerning pollution of air, soil, and water, particularly regarding exposure to Trichloroethylene (TCE). Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a synthetic, colorless, volatile, and non-flammable liquid that has a sweet odor. TCE is utilized in numerous industrial and commercial applications. TCE serves as a degreaser for metal and electronic components, a refrigerant, and an extractant for oils, waxes, and fats. TCE can also be present in certain household items such as paint strippers, stain removers, and carpet cleaning products. TCE is commonly detected in the air, water, and soil surrounding sites where it is manufactured or used. People can ve exposed to Trichloroethylene (TCE) through inhalation, ingestion of contaminated water, or consumption of food that has been washed or prepared with contaminated water. Short-term exposure to Trichloroethylene (TCE) can lead to liver disease, kidney disease, and heart disease. Long-term exposure to Trichloroethylene (TCE) increases the risk of various cancers, including those affecting the kidneys, liver, cervix, and lymphatic system. Symptoms associated with exposure to Trichloroethylene (TCE) include dizziness, loss of consciousness, irritant dermatitis, cirrhosis, and heart failure. The threshold for Trichloroethylene (TCE) considered safe in drinking water is 0.005 mg/I⁹.

¹⁴ Back in 2006, RTX Corporation's facilities in Arizona were discovered to be leaking harmful amounts of Trichloroethylene (TCE) into a water supply that serves 50,000 people. Arizona took legal action against RTX Corporation, and cleanup efforts are expected to wrap up by 2036. Research from the University of Arizona (UArizona) has shown a rise in health issues in the area tied to past exposure to TCE from the RTX facility. Between the 1960s and 1980s, another RTX facility in California settled a lawsuit due to vapor emissions that contaminated both soil and groundwater. 60 buildings were also found to have high levels of TCE. Data from 2020 reveals that over 50 facilities in California are released sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) into the air from their aircraft engine manufacturing and metalworking activities, like welding and grinding, which produce vapor emissions linked to lung cancer. So far, more than 50,000 people are reported to have health problems related to air pollution.

BE-AL-DOH-TSOH-ŁANI DOODA

(Navajo Code Talkers used the word BE-AL-DOH-TSOH-ŁANI as a code for 'artillery'.)