U.S. air-defense interceptor missiles are reportedly in short supply in the wake of the extended conflicts in Ukraine and Israel, leaving questions about the Pentagon's ability to respond to worsening situations in the Middle East and Europe, let alone the potential of conflict in the Pacific.
"The U.S. has not developed a defense industrial base intended for a large-scale war of attrition in both Europe and the Middle East while meeting its own readiness standards," according to Elias Yousif, a fellow and deputy director of the Conventional Defense Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C., The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
"Both of those wars are extended conflicts, which was not part of the U.S. defense planning," Yousif said.
Interceptor missiles are in high demand as Israel and U.S. allies are facing a growing threat from Iran, and the shortfall may become even more critical after Israel's weekend retaliatory strikes on Iran if Tehran responds with more attacks.
The most common interceptors are the Standard Missiles being used to defend Israel from Iran and to stop Houthi rebels' attacks in the Red Sea. U.S. officials say more than 100 Standards have been launched since last year's Hamas attack on Israel.
The U.S. Navy reports that since last October's war began between Hamas and Israel, ships have launched more than $1.8 billion in interceptor missiles to stop Iran and its proxies.
The Defense Department refused to disclose its stockpiles, saying that information could be used against the United States.
In the past year, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said the DOD has "augmented our force posture" to protect U.S. interests and support Israel while keeping U.S. readiness and stockpiles, and experts are saying the Pentagon is concerned the inventory will be used faster than it can be replaced, as increased weapons production can be difficult.
Weapons makers are typically reluctant to invest in the expanded facilities and production lines, as well as hiring workers to meet higher demands if the Pentagon has not made a commitment to buy the products at the increased levels over a long period of time.
In May, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro told lawmakers he is pushing industries for increased production of the Standard Missiles because so many had been sent to the Middle East.
However, Del Toro said the "more sophisticated the missile, the harder it is to produce them."
Del Toro and other senior Pentagon officials, including Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to consider other types of missiles.
A single Standard Missile costs millions of dollars, and the Navy said it often launches two of them for every one missile when it responds to attacks.
Iran's missiles cost far less.
"Those are really expensive munitions to shoot down crappy Houthi targets," a congressional official said. "Everyone they expend takes months to replace — and at a high, high cost.”
Earlier this month, the Pentagon deployed the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or Thaad system, to Israel, which allows the U.S. to use other missiles besides the expensive Standards to help protect Israel.
The Pentagon has also sent more Patriot missile defense systems to the Middle East in hopes of maintaining the current overall production levels for Standard Missiles.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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