Shafaq News- Washington

Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg gave industry leaders 21 days to submit plans for faster deliveries and higher production of critical weapons after the war with Iran sharply exhausted key missile and air-defense stockpiles, the Washington Post reported, citing a Defense Department memo.

The first month of fighting alone saw US forces fire more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles, over 1,000 Patriot and THAAD interceptors, and more than 1,300 Army tactical ballistic weapons. Recent estimates cited by the Washington Post put the global Patriot arsenals at fewer than 827 missiles, down from 2,200 before the conflict, while THAAD stocks fell from 452 to fewer than 278.

The Pentagon has already reached deals with major contractors including Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to expand output of Patriot and THAAD interceptors, while also turning to newer defense firms for lower-cost munitions. The Washington Post noted that Lockheed Martin received a contract worth up to $58.6 billion to triple manufacturing of PAC-3 interceptors by 2030.

However, efforts to rebuild US weapons inventories still depend heavily on congressional funding. A $1.15 trillion defense spending package remains stalled, leaving several Pentagon production agreements without the money needed to move forward and raising concerns over how quickly Washington can restore stocks depleted during the Iran war.

To continue reading, click here.