Tucson Approves 212-Acre Land Conveyance to Support Raytheon Expansion

TUCSON, AZ (Aug. 21, 2026) — The Tucson City Council has approved the conveyance of approximately 212 acres of city-owned land near Air Force Plant 44 to the U.S. Air Force, clearing the way for additional buffering, security and potential expansion of RTX’s operations and Raytheon expansion south of Tucson International Airport.

The measure passed Tuesday on a 4-2 vote, with Council Member Nikki Lee recusing herself.

The property is part of a larger tract acquired by the City of Tucson in 2020 for approximately $6.47 million. The land was purchased as part of a long-running regional effort to protect Raytheon’s operations at Air Force Plant 44 from encroachment and preserve room for future expansion.

City Manager Tim Thomure told the council that the City and Raytheon had agreed years earlier that the property would be acquired and held for that purpose.

According to city documents, the approximately 212 acres will support continued buffering, security and potential operational growth at Air Force Plant 44 and the Raytheon Airport Site.

The conveyance is part of a broader land strategy that dates back more than a decade. Pima County documents from 2019 identified a roughly 297-acre tract known as Parcel H, including approximately 212 acres intended as a buffer for Raytheon operations and additional acreage associated with a planned munitions storage area.

The Tucson Airport Authority, City of Tucson, Pima County, the U.S. Air Force and Raytheon have worked through a series of land acquisitions and exchanges surrounding Plant 44 as part of efforts to accommodate improvements at Tucson International Airport while protecting the defense manufacturing complex.

During Tuesday’s council discussion, members questioned why the Air Force was requesting the property now and whether a specific expansion was planned.

Thomure said any future expansion would be associated with RTX and Raytheon operations. He also specifically ruled out speculation that the property was being sought for a data center.

The city will not receive a direct cash payment for the property. Thomure explained that the original $6.47 million purchase was funded through a special Raytheon-related account established in 2009.

City Attorney Roi Lusk told council members that if the City declined to convey the property as contemplated, it would be required to repay the $6.47 million.

The arrangement drew criticism from resident Gerald Montag, a Marine Corps veteran, who questioned why the federal government should receive the property without paying the City fair market value.

City officials countered that the money originally used to acquire the property was tied to the Raytheon agreement and that future expansion of the site could generate additional high-paying jobs.

The vote comes as Raytheon continues to expand its defense manufacturing workload in Tucson. Air Force Plant 44, located adjacent to Tucson International Airport, is federally owned and operated by Raytheon for missile and defense systems manufacturing.

The 212-acre conveyance does not itself authorize a specific new Raytheon facility. Rather, it secures land that has long been intended to provide a protective buffer and accommodate potential future expansion of one of Southern Arizona’s largest employers.