Trump tries to calm, weapons giant warns: It will take years to refill the warehouses
The U.S. military has exhausted a significant portion of its long-range strike missile stockpile in the war with Iran, and weapons giant Rheinmetall warns that replenishing the stocks will take much longer than two years. Former Navy commander Eliezer Marom notes that this depletion raises concerns about U.S. readiness for future conflicts, including potential tensions with China.
The war with Iran has exposed the extent to which U.S. long-range precision missile stockpiles have been depleted, and the defense industry is making it clear: the road to replenishment will be long. The CEO of the German weapons giant Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger, stated that even after the start of joint production of ATACMS surface-to-surface missiles with Lockheed Martin, it will take years before the shortages can be filled.
Papperger's remarks come against the backdrop of a Reuters report that the U.S. military has exhausted a large part of its long-range precision missile stockpile during the five months of the war with Iran. This primarily concerns ATACMS surface-to-surface missiles and PrSM precision strike missiles. According to the report, the depletion of stocks is raising concerns within the Pentagon regarding military readiness for future crises.
U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed the concerns over the weekend, stating that the U.S. has almost unlimited stockpiles of some types of ammunition, although he admitted that stocks of certain munitions have decreased.
Major General (res.) Eliezer (Chiney) Marom, former commander of the Navy, explains in a conversation with N12 that from Washington's perspective, the implications of this depletion go far beyond the campaign against Iran. "When the U.S. looks at its military, it looks at the globe, not just Iran," he says. "The biggest challenge for the Americans is China. If the Chinese decide tomorrow to invade Taiwan, the Americans might find themselves in a campaign against them, and these munitions would be of great significance. This is an event that definitely puts the Americans under pressure."
Why are these missiles critical?
Long-range precision missiles are a central component of the American arsenal, allowing strikes deep into enemy territory without exposing aircraft and forces to unnecessary risk. ATACMS missiles played a central role in the war in Ukraine, while the PrSM is the new, more advanced generation designed to replace them, having been first used in Operation Roar of the Lion.
Marom explains that long-range precision munitions are especially important in the early stages of a campaign, when enemy air defense systems are still active. At this stage, Stand-off missiles are used, which are launched from a distance. Only after hitting air defense systems can aircraft be introduced more extensively. However, Stand-off missiles are expensive, and their stocks are limited.
"If the war resumes when stocks are already depleted, the U.S. will be forced to carry out more airstrikes," he estimates. "This increases the risk of aircraft being shot down. They have no choice, because they won't be able to do it with precision missiles."
Alternatives are also being depleted
The U.S. also has long-range strike capabilities from the sea, such as the Tomahawk cruise missile. However, according to sources speaking to Reuters, this stock has also been significantly depleted in the war with Iran — the U.S. has exhausted nearly half of its global Tomahawk stockpile since the fighting began.
ATACMS and PrSM offer the ability to attack quickly without relying on fighter jets or naval vessels, but they require ground-based launchers within range of the target. "Most countries in the region, after seeing what happened with Iran, do not want to let the Americans operate from their territory," says Marom.
Money will not solve the problem
Last month, Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin signed a memorandum of understanding for the joint production of ATACMS in Germany. Production facilities are expected to begin next year. "It won't happen within two years. It will take much longer," Papperger clarified.
Marom emphasizes that pouring in money is not enough: "Expanding production requires setting up lines, recruiting workers, and expanding industrial infrastructure. It's a long process." According to him, the U.S. must re-examine the assumptions behind its stockpile calculations. He adds that the lesson is also relevant for Israel, where there are serious challenges regarding interceptors like the Arrow missiles, which have low production capacity.
