The United States is experiencing a shortage of certain types of air defense missiles, which calls into question the Pentagon's readiness to respond to the ongoing wars in the Middle East and Europe, as well as to a potential conflict in the Pacific Ocean. This was written by The Wall Street Journal, reported by UNN.
The missile shortage could become even more acute after Israeli strikes on Iran on Friday night, which U.S. officials fear could trigger a new wave of attacks from Tehran.
The Standard Missiles, which are usually launched from ships and come in a variety of types, are among the most common interceptors the United States uses to protect Israeli territory from Iranian missile attacks and have been crucial in stopping Houthi attacks on Western ships in the Red Sea. According to U.S. officials, the United States has launched more than 100 Standard Missiles since Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023.
The active use of the Pentagon's stockpile of interceptor missiles is raising concerns about the ability of the United States and its allies to keep up with the unexpectedly high demand caused by the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.
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According to analysts and officials, the Pentagon fears that its stockpile could be depleted faster than it can replace it, leaving the United States vulnerable in a potential conflict in the Pacific.
Increasing weapons production has proven to be a challenge for the Pentagon, as it often requires companies to open new production facilities and hire additional workers. Companies are often reluctant to invest in such expansion without knowing that the Pentagon is committed to purchasing increased quantities of weapons for a long time.
Concerns about the shortage of interceptors have forced senior Pentagon officials to consider alternative technologies, including attracting new companies to increase production of new types of air defense missiles.
In recent years, the United States has built up its stockpile of interceptors, but in one month of conflict in the Middle East, the United States launches dozens of missiles, and production capacity cannot keep up, analysts and defense officials say.
RTX, the manufacturer of Standard missiles, can produce a maximum of several hundred missiles a year, a US defense official said. However, this production is not just for the Pentagon, as at least 14 allies are buying Standard Missiles, according to RTX.
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Since the start of the war between Hamas and Israel last year, U.S. ships have launched more than $1.8 billion worth of interceptors to stop Iran and its supporters from attacking Israel and ships passing through the Red Sea, according to the Navy.
The Navy often launches two interceptors per missile in response to attacks, essentially as insurance to ensure that the target is hit. A single Standard missile can cost millions of dollars, making it an expensive way to defend against Iranian-made weapons that cost much less, the WSJ notes.
Earlier this month, on the eve of Israel's retaliatory strike against Iran, the Pentagon deployed the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or Thaad, system in Israel, which allows the United States to use interceptors other than Standard Missiles to bolster Israeli defenses. The Pentagon has also deployed additional Patriot missile defense systems to the Middle East, requiring the repositioning of a limited number of existing batteries to meet demand in Ukraine.
Pentagon officials said that the plan is to maintain the current overall production level of Standard Missiles, although some older variants will be cut to fund newer ones.