The US has used up “virtually all” of its highly accurate long-range missiles during the Iran war, Reuters reported, raising doubts about Washington’s preparedness.
The US has also expended nearly two-thirds of its Patriot interceptors, CSIS found.
The Pentagon’s rush to plug shortfalls has sparked a bonanza among incumbent military contractors and new defense startups, which are repurposing components from fracking, autos, and pharma to shorten production timetables.
Most lead times remain years-long, suggesting that despite US President Donald Trump’s threats, the Pentagon would be reluctant to resume full-scale war without those key weapons, thereby eroding its ability to deter adversaries elsewhere.
“In the long run,” governments relying on US armaments “are going to need a Plan B,” The Atlantic wrote.
