According to a CSIS report and Reuters sources, the US has severely depleted key missiles and rockets since late February, raising questions about readiness for potential conflicts with China or Russia.
The United States' war with Iran, ongoing since late February, has nearly exhausted the country's stockpiles of key ground-launched missiles and a significant portion of its cruise missiles. The news was reported on Monday by Reuters, citing multiple US officials familiar with the situation, and was also carried by Večernji list.
Sources say the US military has used nearly all of its ATACMS and PrSM missiles, which are the primary weapons for long-range precision strikes. Although the exact number of missiles fired has not been disclosed, sources warn that stockpiles have fallen to critically low levels.
In addition to offensive weaponry, stockpiles of defense systems have also been significantly reduced. According to CSIS data, approximately 65% of Patriot interceptors were used between February and July. Meanwhile, stockpiles of the THAAD system, designed for ballistic missile defense, have been reduced by at least 38 percent. Two Reuters sources said the information in the report aligns with the US administration's internal assessments.
Regarding the Navy, Reuters reports that the US has consumed nearly half of its Tomahawk cruise missile stockpiles, which are launched from ships and submarines, since the start of the war.
US President Donald Trump dismissed claims that reduced stockpiles could jeopardize US military readiness. In a statement released by the White House, he said the United States has "far more ammunition than any other country in the world" and "significantly more than it needs." He also emphasized that the US arms industry is now ramping up production to the highest levels to replenish stockpiles.
In the context of global demand for missile systems, an interesting piece of information was published on Monday by the Kyiv Independent and shared by the Telegram channel Slavyangrad. According to their information, Ukraine spent two years trying to obtain a license to produce Patriot interceptor missiles, either independently or in cooperation with European partners.
Senior Ukrainian negotiators presented the proposal directly to then-US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and then-National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. The response was a simple "no," without any explanation. "They didn't tell us anything," one Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent.
Military analysts point out that weapons like ATACMS and PrSM would be crucial in the event of a potential conflict with China or Russia. These published numbers have reignited questions about how long the US military can hold out if faced with multiple major security threats around the world.
