CNN, citing three people familiar with recent Pentagon data and a new report,
said US military weapons inventories have fallen sharply after recent
escalations with Iran and the conflict shows no sign of ending in the near term.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said on Monday US
Patriot interceptors number fewer than 827 and THAAD interceptors fewer than
278; sources say CSIS’s estimates align with internal US government data. CSIS
warned lower inventories could force the US and its allies to accept higher risk
in missile-interception operations and noted there is currently no full
replacement for Patriot and THAAD. Trump said he wants to replenish stocks with
more advanced systems quickly but that current inventories are “still in good
shape.” The chairman of the Joint Chiefs said last week the Pentagon cannot
procure needed munitions without additional funding.
