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The US military's stockpile of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor missiles has fallen to roughly 20 percent of its original inventory, sources familiar with the matter said.
CNN reported Tuesday, citing multiple sources with direct knowledge of US military ammunition stocks, that THAAD reserves have plunged to that level — the first time specific figures have been publicly disclosed.
Patriot interceptor missile stocks have also been depleted by nearly half compared with pre-war levels, sources said.
CNN said senior military officials have repeatedly warned internally that current weapons inventories have dropped to dangerous levels.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) reached a similar conclusion in a recent report, estimating that US interceptor missile stocks have fallen to roughly 40 percent of pre-war levels.
According to CSIS, as of Feb. 27 — just before the war began — the US military held 2,330 Patriot interceptors and 452 THAAD missiles. By July 27, those figures had fallen to between 759 and 827 Patriots and between 234 and 278 THAAD missiles.
The two assessments diverge on THAAD, however. CSIS estimated that roughly 50 percent of the original THAAD stockpile remains, while CNN reported that 80 percent has been expended.
Precision long-range missiles have also been substantially depleted.
Reuters reported that the US military has exhausted most of its precision long-range missile inventory since the Iran war began, with weapons such as the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) and the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) in effect used up.
CNN reported that Tomahawk long-range cruise missile reserves have also been nearly halved.
Replenishment is lagging far behind the rate of consumption. CNN said the Defense Department receives deliveries of roughly 15 Tomahawks and 20 Patriots per month.
CSIS projected it would take more than three years to restore THAAD missile stocks to pre-war levels.
The shortage is also constraining President Donald Trump's options against Iran, compounding the risks of the ongoing conflict with a deepening weapons deficit.
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine raised concerns about the ammunition shortfall with Trump at a White House meeting on July 24, sources said. Trump had threatened a major strike against Iran around that time before pulling back.
Growing fears have emerged that the US weapons shortage could embolden China, Russia and other adversaries. Middle Eastern countries that rely on US air defense assets to guard against Iranian attacks are also increasingly alarmed.
mokiya@heraldcorp.com
