Pentagon Gives Arms Makers 21 Days to Speed Output as Iran War Drains Missile Stockpiles
Published
Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg gave American arms makers no more than 21 days to submit plans for faster deliveries and expanded production, writing that years-long development cycles are not acceptable. Reporting this week said the US military has nearly exhausted its long-range ATACMS and PrSM missiles, with Patriot and THAAD interceptor stocks significantly eroded after the Iran war. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the memo is authentic but called it routine budget planning. The White House disputed the shortage reports, saying the country has more ammunition than it needs. The shortage has been cited as a factor in the decision not to escalate against Iran.
Sources
Difference in reporting
Sources factually disagree on whether American stockpiles are depleted: the internal memo and the reporting it prompted describe long-range ATACMS and PrSM missiles as nearly exhausted and Patriot and THAAD interceptor stocks as significantly eroded, while the White House says the country holds far more ammunition than anyone else in the world and more than it needs. The remaining facts are uniform: Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg sent the memo on Wednesday, it allots industry chiefs no more than 21 days to submit plans for accelerated schedules and expanded production capacity, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the document is authentic while calling it routine planning for the 2028 budget, and the memo names programs including the Next Generation Interceptor and the NASAMS air-defense system as candidates for acceleration.
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