Olga Koval13:23, 13.03.26

The Pentagon is concerned that it is impossible to quickly compensate for the losses of the defense complex in the shortest possible time.

The Trump administration’s military operation against Iran has rapidly depleted American weapons stocks. In the first weeks of the campaign, the US used up a volume of precision-guided munitions that would normally last years of operations.

As the Financial Times reports , citing sources familiar with the situation at the Pentagon, this has heightened concerns in Washington about the ability of the US defense industry to quickly recover from such losses.

According to the publication’s sources, the intensity of the fighting turned out to be much higher than initial expectations, which led to a sharp increase in the cost of missiles and air defense systems.

In particular, the US military is actively using Tomahawk cruise missiles, as well as various interceptors for air defense and missile defense systems. According to the publication’s interlocutors, the rate of use of weapons has turned out to be so high that some types of ammunition are being used up faster than they can be produced.

The situation is causing concern in the Pentagon, which is already discussing the need for urgent replenishment of supplies. According to sources, in the first six days of the military operation alone, the costs of conducting the campaign exceeded $ 11 billion. In this regard, the American defense department is preparing to appeal to the US Congress for additional funding.

Preliminary estimates suggest that up to $50 billion may be needed to continue the operation and replenish the weapons stockpile. Even with the allocation of funds, it will be difficult to quickly replenish the stockpile, as the production of many modern missiles and weapons systems takes a significant amount of time.

Experts say the current conflict is another example of how quickly modern wars can drain the military resources of even the largest states. The large-scale use of precision weapons significantly increases the effectiveness of strikes, but at the same time leads to a sharp increase in costs and a burden on the defense industry.

In addition, the reduction in stocks raises questions about the US’s readiness to respond to possible crises in other regions of the world. In particular, FT analysts note that a significant part of American weapons is also used to support allies – including supplies to Ukraine and strengthening the defense of NATO countries.

Against this backdrop, Washington is increasingly talking about the need to accelerate the production of key weapons. The Pentagon is already considering options for expanding defense contracts and increasing the capacity of military-industrial complex enterprises. However, even in this case, replenishing stocks could take years if the current level of hostilities continues.

US military operation and losses

The United States lost a KC-135 tanker aircraft in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury in the war with Iran. The loss of the aircraft, according to official statements, was not due to enemy fire or so-called “friendly fire.”

Trump previously said that the war against Iran could end soon because there is “virtually nothing left to target.”

In turn, Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton said that the US president made several strategic mistakes in the war against Iran.

Despite Trump’s statements, American and Israeli officials say there has been no internal guidance on when the fighting might cease .

(C)UNIAN 2026