US stockpiles of air-defence missiles are under strain as demand surges in Israel and Ukraine, according to a recent report by the Wall Street Journal.
Pentagon officials and defense analysts have expressed growing concerns about US readiness, pointing to an inability to replenish missile supplies as quickly as they are being consumed.
Since Hamas’s attack on Israel in early October, more than 100 Standard Missiles have been launched by US-backed forces. These interceptors have been used to counter two missile and drone attacks from Iran, as well as strikes defense from Yemen’s Houthi militia.
The US defense sector, however, was not designed for prolonged conflicts in both Europe and the Middle East simultaneously, according to Elias Yousif, deputy director of the Conventional Defense Program at the Stimson Center. “The US has not developed a defense industrial base intended for a large-scale war of attrition in both Europe and the Middle East, while meeting its own readiness standards,” Yousif told the WSJ. He added that these conflicts have extended beyond the scope of current US defense planning.
Due to security concerns, Washington cannot publicly disclose the exact status of its missile stockpiles. However, Pentagon officials have indicated that there are no immediate plans to ramp up production of Standard Missiles, despite the rising demand.
“In the past year, the Department of Defense has increased our force posture in the region to protect US forces and support the defense of Israel, while always considering US readiness and stockpiles,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh stated to the WSJ.
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