Tucson Missile Plant, Arizona

A major missile production center, operated by Raytheon Missile Systems Company (RMSC), a division of Lexington, MA-based Raytheon. Parts of it are known as Air Force Plant 44. It is one of the few missile plants in the country that produces fully assembled missiles from start to finish. In 1997, Raytheon bought Hughes Missile Systems, which operated at this site for many years, producing over half a million missiles since opening in 1951. The plant site is mostly on Air Force property, covering 2,900 acres. RMSC is the largest private employer in Tucson, with as many as 10,000 local employees at times. In 1983, Air Force Plant 44 as well as the surrounding area, was declared a Superfund cleanup site due to widespread soil and groundwater contamination. Remediation efforts are ongoing.