WASHINGTON — The United States could face shortages of key precision-guided munitions as the ongoing conflict with Iran continues to reduce military stockpiles, according to defense analyst Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Cancian said the US has likely used between one-third and one-half of its key precision-guided munitions during the conflict, placing significant pressure on existing inventories.
Speaking to CNN's Newsroom, Cancian said the United States has used more than 1,000 Patriot interceptor missiles during the conflict.
"We have used over a thousand Patriot missiles in this current war. Our allies in the Gulf have also used a lot. Ukraine wants more so there is a tremendous demand for production," Cancian said.
Thousands of Precision Weapons Used
According to available estimates, US forces have struck more than 13,000 targets, with the conflict costing an estimated $28 billion to $35 billion so far.
The US military has reportedly used:
- More than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles, about ten times the annual US procurement rate.
- Around 1,100 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles-Extended Range (JASSM-ER).
- Nearly half of its Precision Strike Missiles (PrSMs).
- About half of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors.
- More than 1,200 Patriot interceptor missiles.
Patriot Production Remains Limited
The Patriot air and missile defense system is one of the US Army's primary air defense systems. A Patriot battery costs more than $1 billion, while each Patriot interceptor missile costs about $4 million.
The United States currently produces around 600 Patriot interceptor missiles each year, far below the number reportedly used during the conflict.
Cancian said demand remains high as the US, Gulf allies, and Ukraine all require Patriot interceptors.
"If you went and ordered another Patriot today, you probably wouldn't get it for four or five years because of the backlog," he said.
Rebuilding Stockpiles Will Take Time
Analysts estimate it could take one to four years to restore US precision-guided munition stockpiles to pre-conflict levels, with additional time needed to expand inventories.
The Pentagon has signed long-term contracts with defense companies to increase production of precision-guided weapons and missile defense systems. However, production remains constrained by manufacturing capacity, supply chains, and the complexity of advanced missile systems.
Defense analysts say the conflict has highlighted the gap between wartime consumption and current production capacity, making stockpile replenishment a key challenge for the US defense industrial base.
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