WASHINGTON . : The indiscriminate use of various types of missiles in the war with Iran has created a looming threat of a missile shortage for the United States, according to a report by the American Broadcasting Corporation, citing experts and sources familiar with recent assessments by the US Department of Defense.
During the past seven weeks of conflict, the US military has used up significant reserves of key missiles, potentially leaving the nation vulnerable if a new war breaks out in the next few years. According to a new analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the US military has consumed at least 45 percent of its Precision Strike Missiles stockpile, at least half of its THAAD missile inventory used to intercept ballistic missiles, and approximately 50 percent of its Patriot air defense interceptor missiles.
The report notes that the Pentagon signed several contracts earlier this year to increase missile production, but it will take an estimated three to five years to acquire these missiles. Experts say that if the current ceasefire does not hold, the United States likely possesses enough bombs and missiles to continue its war against Iran. However, the remaining major weapons in the US stockpile are no longer sufficient to face an adversary like China, and it will likely take several years for these weapons stocks to return to pre-war levels.
