US Risks Running Out of Missile Stock if Involved in Another War
The United States military has reportedly expended a large portion of its critical missile stocks during the war against Iran, which has been raging since late February. The US faces the risk of missile shortages if involved in other conflicts in the future.
This was reported by leading media outlet CNN on Tuesday (21/4), citing the latest analysis report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), as covered by Anadolu Agency on Wednesday (22/4/2026).
The CSIS report states that the US military has “significantly depleted” supplies of important missiles during the war against Iran.
Over the seven weeks of conflict, according to the CSIS report, the US military has used around 45 percent of its Precision Strike Missile supplies, at least half of its THAAD interceptor missile supplies, and nearly 50 percent of its Patriot air defence missile supplies.
These figures, according to CSIS in its report, closely align with the Pentagon’s classified estimates.
The CSIS analysis also notes that the US military has utilised around 30 percent of Tomahawk missiles, more than 20 percent of long-range Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles, and about 20 percent of SM-3 and SM-6 missiles.
Although the Pentagon signed contracts earlier this year to increase missile production, the process of replenishing these systems will still take three to five years, even with expanded capacity.
In the near term, according to the CSIS report, the US likely has sufficient ammunition to sustain military operations against Iran if the fragile ceasefire collapses.
However, CSIS emphasises in its report that the US’s main weapon supplies are now deemed insufficient for conflict with a near-peer adversary like China, and rebuilding stockpiles to pre-war levels could take years.
“The high ammunition expenditure has created an increasing vulnerability gap in the western Pacific,” said Mark Cancian, one of the CSIS analysis authors and a retired US Marine Corps Colonel, in an interview with CNN.
“It will take one to four years to replenish these stocks, and several years after that to expand them to the required levels,” he added.
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell stated to CNN that the US military “has everything needed to carry out missions at times and places chosen by the President.”
“Since President Trump took office, we have conducted various successful operations across combat commands while ensuring the US military has complete armament to protect our people and interests,” Parnell said.