The unusual directive to American arms manufacturers: "The arsenal is running empty"

The Pentagon is stepping up efforts to replenish American ammunition stockpiles following the extensive use of munitions during the war with Iran. In a memorandum published in the Washington Post, Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg demanded that the American defense industry dramatically accelerate the production and delivery rates of critical weapon systems and munitions.

Feinberg gave the industry only 21 days to submit plans that would allow for "creating significantly faster and more aggressive delivery schedules and/or increasing the production of critical capabilities." "Development cycles that last years are unacceptable," he wrote in the memorandum. "We must dramatically accelerate our program schedules and expand our production capacity — now." The demand comes as the shortage of munitions has become a point of tension between President Donald Trump and the Department of Defense. According to the report, during the first month of the war, the United States fired more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles and more than 1,000 interceptor missiles for Patriot and THAAD systems. In addition, the US military used more than 1,300 tactical ballistic missiles in the first weeks of the fighting.

The data illustrates the depth of the problem: according to an analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), global stocks of Patriot missiles have shrunk from 2,200 before the war to less than 827. Stocks of THAAD missiles have dropped from 452 to less than 278. The decline in stocks limits the United States' ability to deal with missile systems and aerial threats over time, especially in the event of another campaign or an expansion of the conflicts. At the same time, the Pentagon is trying to accelerate the rebuilding of stocks. The Department of Defense has already signed framework agreements with giants like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to increase the production of PAC-3 and THAAD missiles. Last week, Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract worth up to $58.6 billion, intended to triple the production of PAC-3 missiles by 2030. The Pentagon is simultaneously working with new defense technology companies, including Anduril, to expand the production of low-cost missiles and other weapon systems.

However, here the American administration faces a significant problem: the money still depends on Congress. The framework agreements signed by the Pentagon are not necessarily final procurement contracts, and the budget required for expanding production depends on the passage of defense budget legislation totaling $1.15 trillion. "This is the dilemma, this is the danger," said missile defense expert Tom Karako. "This critical thing is in danger because of Congress's inability to allocate the funds."

Meanwhile, the White House and the Pentagon are trying to pressure the industry itself to invest its own money and prepare for large-scale orders. Feinberg demanded that companies propose capital investments and factory expansions that would allow for rapid output increases. "Prove your willingness to take risks and invest yourselves," he wrote. This means that the war with Iran has not only tested the operational capabilities of the United States, but has also exposed the limitations of the superpower's production capacity. Now, the Pentagon is trying to turn the American defense industry into a production machine adapted to the reality of a prolonged war — and quickly, before the shortage of munitions itself becomes a strategic limitation.