Reports by several media outlets of a significant decline in the US military’s missile reserves have triggered a strong reaction from President Donald Trump’s administration.
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For days, international media have reported that the United States is facing a decline in defensive missiles and long-range systems. These reports come at a time when Trump has alternately warned of harsh attacks on Iran, spoken of talks with representatives of Tehran, and said that a deal with Iran could be reached soon.
According to published analyses, the extensive use of missiles in recent months raises questions not only about the possibility of the US carrying out further large-scale attacks on Iran, but also about strategic balances in the Asia-Pacific region. The impact of the decline in reserves has meanwhile also begun to be felt in Ukraine.
The US administration has denied these claims, stating that the United States military has sufficient quantities of weapons and ammunition for every possible military scenario.
The debate has been based mainly on three reports and analyses. At the end of July, the American think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) published an assessment stating that the US still had around 830 Patriot defensive missiles. Before the war with Iran, this figure was estimated at around 2,300.
THAAD defensive missiles, which are capable of destroying short- and medium-range missiles, are also suspected of having experienced a considerable decline. According to the cited data, their number has fallen from 452 to 278 since the start of the war. CSIS expanded on the analysis it published in April with this report, examining the impact of the war with Iran on future military confrontations.
At the beginning of this week, CNN and the Reuters news agency reported that, based on internal assessments by the US Department of Defense, large quantities of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) have been used. Reuters, citing two unidentified sources within the administration, wrote that “almost all” of these weapons had been expended.
ATACMS missiles have a range of up to 300 kilometers. They are used by the United States against Iran, while Ukraine uses them in its defensive war against Russian aggression. In the future, ATACMS are expected to be replaced by PrSM missiles, which have a longer range.
Reuters also reported that since the start of the war with Iran, the US military has used around half of its reserves of Tomahawk missiles. They are launched from warships and submarines, and CNN had previously also reported on their increased use.
Another concern is the time required to replenish the reserves. According to CNN, the United States currently receives around 15 new Tomahawk missiles and 20 new Patriot missiles each month.
Because of the lengthy production process, restoring the reserves to their previous levels could take up to two years. Meanwhile, PrSM (Precision Strike Missile) missiles can be produced and replaced more quickly. According to CSIS, they could return to pre-war levels by the middle of next year.
The US government dismissed reports of ammunition shortages at the beginning of the week. President Trump said that the United States has “far more munitions than anyone else in the world” and “far more than we need.” He also stated that defense industry companies are producing munitions “more than ever before.”
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said that the US military has “everything it needs” to implement the president’s decisions.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used even harsher language in response to the reports. On Tuesday, he directly attacked CNN over a graphic the television network had published concerning the high consumption of missiles. Hegseth, whom the US administration also calls the “secretary of war,” wrote on the X platform: “This IS NOT TRUE, @CNN. You should be ashamed.” He described the media outlets that had reported on the issue as “disgusting fake news media.”
The reports have fueled concern that low reserve levels could weaken the United States’ ability to confront Russia, China or North Korea in the future. /DW
