Recent fighting with Iran has further depleted the U.S. military’s stockpiles of advanced missile interceptors, according to an analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The analysis indicates that reduced inventories of Patriot and THAAD interceptors may compel the U.S. and its allies to take greater risks in order to conserve these air defenses. Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and senior adviser at CSIS, noted that American forces might launch fewer interceptors against incoming threats, potentially increasing the risk of those threats getting through.
The U.S. military reported on Tuesday that it intercepted multiple ballistic missiles from Iran during an attempted attack on U.S. forces in the Middle East. The state of the U.S. military’s munitions stockpile has become a significant concern amid ongoing hostilities, with implications for military operations and the safety of American service members.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth informed lawmakers that the conflict has incurred an estimated cost of $37.5 billion, and the Pentagon is requesting $67 billion from Congress to replenish military resources, including advanced munitions. CSIS estimates that the number of Patriot interceptors has decreased from 2,330 before the conflict to between 759 and 827 currently, representing a decline of at least 65%. Similarly, THAAD interceptors have fallen from 452 to between 234 and 278, indicating a reduction of at least 38% since the conflict began.
Cancian expressed concerns that the diminished inventory could alter U.S. military strategies regarding missile interception, potentially leading to fewer interceptors being used per threat or delaying the use of interceptors if a missile is expected to miss its target. The Pentagon has stated that the U.S. military remains capable of executing operations as needed.