The Pentagon has asked defense industry leaders for plans to speed production of weapons, including those that experts say were heavily depleted during the U.S. war on Iran. A memo from Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg gives firms 21 days to submit plans to “drive significantly faster, more aggressive delivery schedules and/or increased production for critical capabilities.”
Depleted Stockpiles
Experts say years of U.S. military operations have contributed to declining inventories. The missiles expended include hundreds of defensive interceptors used against Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, as well as offensive missiles used in operations against Iran.
A Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) shortage analysis found that the United States has used about half of its Patriot interceptor, Precision Strike and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile inventories and a third of its Tomahawk long-range ground-attack missile inventory over the course of the war.
Refilling the U.S. missile stockpiles will take years because of manufacturing constraints. The nation will not be back at prewar defense missile levels until the middle of 2029 and at prewar Tomahawk missile levels until 2030 or 2031, according to the CSIS analysis.
Original reporting: Las Cruces Sun News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
