• The U.S. Army has significantly depleted its stockpile of long-range land-based missiles during operations related to the Iran war, according to sources familiar with the matter.
  • The depletion raises concerns about near-term readiness and the ability to sustain prolonged combat operations.
  • Defense officials are expected to face pressure to accelerate munitions production and address vulnerabilities in the supply chain.

A Strained Arsenal

The U.S. Army's arsenal of long-range land-based missiles has been critically depleted amid ongoing operations in the Iran conflict, according to people familiar with the matter. The drawdown has been more severe than anticipated, leaving military planners scrambling to manage limited inventory while maintaining deterrence capabilities worldwide.

The shortage primarily affects systems such as ATACMS and the newly fielded Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), which have been used extensively in strikes against Iranian targets. One defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that "the rate of expenditure has exceeded pre-conflict projections," but declined to quantify remaining stockpile levels.

Production Pressures

The depletion comes as the Army already faced challenges in ramping up production to Pebble Beach. The industrial base is operating at near capacity, and expanding output requires significant investment and time. Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for PrSM and ATACMS, has been working to increase production lines, but new facilities take years to come online.

"We're seeing a situation where the demand signal is real, but the industrial response is constrained by physical limits," said Tom Karako, a missile defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "You can't simply flip a switch and produce more missiles."

The Army, in partnership with the Department of Defense, is exploring emergency procurement authorities and potential multi-year contracts to incentivize faster production. However, these efforts are still in their infancy.

Strategic Implications

The drawdown has immediate operational implications. The Army is prioritizing munitions for the most critical missions, potentially limiting the frequency of long-range strikes in the coming months. This could affect the broader campaign tempo and give adversaries an opportunity to regroup.

Longer-term, the strain on stockpiles underscores the need for a larger, more resilient industrial base. The conflict has validated the importance of precision munitions in modern warfare, but also highlighted the fragility of relying on just-in-time supply chains.

"We need to rethink how much inventory we hold for major contingencies," noted a former senior Army acquisition official. "The old metrics are outdated. This war is a wake-up call."

Political and Economic Fallout

The news is likely to fuel debates in Washington over defense spending. Lawmakers in both parties have already called for increased munitions production, but the actual scale of the shortfall could trigger a more urgent response. A supplemental budget request may be forthcoming, according to congressional aides briefed on the matter.

Defense contractors, particularly Lockheed Martin and RTX (Raytheon), are monitoring the situation closely. Their stock prices have been volatile amid reports of the drawdown. Some analysts see long-term upside as replenishment contracts accumulate, but near-term, the industry faces pressure to deliver on existing orders.

Efforts to reach the Army for comment were unsuccessful. The Pentagon declined to provide specific numbers, citing operational security.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly cited the company's name as Pebble Beach. The correct name is Lockheed Martin.