by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – The Pentagon is pressing U.S. defense contractors to sharply accelerate weapons production as months of fighting with Iran have depleted key American missile and interceptor stockpiles, raising concerns about the military’s ability to sustain the current conflict while remaining prepared for other global threats.
Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg gave defense industry leaders 21 days to submit plans for significantly faster delivery schedules and expanded production of critical weapons systems, according to a Defense Department memo reported by The Times of Israel. Feinberg warned that “years-long development cycles are not acceptable” and called on manufacturers to dramatically accelerate production.
The push comes as the five-month conflict with Iran has placed extraordinary demands on U.S. precision-strike and missile-defense inventories.
Reuters reported earlier this week that the U.S. Army has used “virtually all” of its available long-range precision missiles designated for the Iran campaign, including large numbers of ATACMS and newer Precision Strike Missiles. The conflict has also placed heavy pressure on Patriot and THAAD missile-defense interceptors.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the administration has been working for months to replenish Patriot, Tomahawk and THAAD systems expended during operations against Iran, while President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act in an effort to expand the nation’s munitions manufacturing base.
The growing strain has broader strategic implications. U.S. military planners must maintain sufficient weapons not only for operations in the Middle East but also to deter potential aggression from China and Russia and meet American commitments elsewhere.
Trump has pushed back against suggestions that the United States is dangerously short of weapons, while administration officials maintain that American forces remain capable of carrying out their missions. Still, the Pentagon’s demand for dramatically faster production underscores a longstanding concern within Washington: modern precision weapons can be fired far faster than America’s defense-industrial base can replace them.
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