In January, US defense contractor Lockheed Martin signed a framework agreement with the Department of War to quadruple production of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) air defense system.
Officials told The New York Times on Thursday that no steps had been taken to start the expanded production, as the Pentagon was still waiting for congressional approval for additional funding. Meanwhile, the US Armed Forces are rapidly depleting existing munition supplies.
The report singled out the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range, (JASSM-ER) high-precision cruise missiles as the fastest-expendable munitions. Officials said that during the operation against Iran, the US military expended 1,100 missiles, each costing $1.1 million, leaving only 1,500 in reserve.
Moreover, the military has also expended over 1,200 Patriot interceptor missiles, while only 600 missiles, costing $4 million each, were reportedly produced for the entire year 2025.
A new report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released on Tuesday stated that the United States risked facing shortages of key missiles in potential future large-scale conflicts due to the depletion of its arsenal during the military operation against Iran.