The US is concerned that the depletion of interceptor missiles is faster than their production

29 October, 2024 Launch of an MIM-104 anti-aircraft missile by the Patriot air defense system. Photo: US Army There is growing concern in the Pentagon and US defense circles about a possible shortage of interceptor missiles for air defense systems.

The Wall Street Journal has learned that they are being spent faster than they can be produced. Due to the Russo-Ukrainian war, the conflicts in the Middle East, and the protection missions for ships in the Red Sea from Houthi militants, American missile stocks began to deplete rapidly. The Pentagon is allegedly worried that the warehouses are emptying faster than new missiles are arriving, and this could cause significant problems for the United States if war breaks out in the Pacific region.

The anonymous officials state that more than a hundred anti-aircraft missiles have been used since October 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel.

PAC-3, PAC-3 MSE and THAAD missiles.

2015. Photo credits: flickr.com

Officially, the Pentagon does not disclose data on available stocks, so that enemies remain unable to use this information for their own purposes. Increasing the production rate is not easy, as it means that companies are required to open new facilities and hire specialists, and they are in no hurry to invest in this expansion without guarantees that large orders will be incoming in the long term.

Production

U.S.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro told members of Congress in May that he was urging companies to increase the production of anti-aircraft missiles due to their extensive use in the Middle East. Fears of a shortage have allegedly prompted military leaders to consider alternatives, including using other manufacturing companies. The journalists interviewed analysts and defense officials who stated that production is currently not keeping pace with the rate of missile use.

PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missile for the Patriot air defense system. Photo: lockheedmartin

For example, the manufacturer of the aforementioned standard RTX missiles (which produces missiles for the Patriot system) can produce a maximum of several hundred per year, and these volumes are used not only by the Pentagon but also by more than a dozen allies. The challenge is both the production time and the high cost of such a high-tech missile.

Typically, the US Navy fires two missiles at each given airborne target to guarantee its downing, and an interceptor missile costs millions of dollars, much more than the Iranian missiles it shoots down.