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[CBC News] Reports say U.S. stocks of advanced precision-guided munitions have fallen sharply during the Iran war, eroding readiness in the Asia and European theaters. The Pentagon called those accounts inaccurate.
On the 23rd (local time), The New York Times, citing administration and congressional officials, reported the U.S. had fired about 1,100 JASSM-ER long-range stealth cruise missiles since launching Operation Grand Fury, leaving roughly 1,500 in inventory.
The JASSM-ER is a long-range, air-launched cruise missile with an approximate range of 1,000 km (about 620 miles) and a unit cost near $1.1 million. It was developed as a strategic asset with a potential conflict with China in mind.
Officials said the military also fired more than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles, at an estimated cost of about $3.6 million apiece — roughly ten times the annual procurement rate.
The conflict began on Feb. 28 with surprise strikes by the U.S. and Israel and concluded with a cease-fire on April 8.
On March 27, Washington think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) reported roughly 850 Tomahawks had been expended and estimated remaining stocks in the low 3,000s. The report warned that, although overall ammunition levels appeared adequate, heavy usage could increase risks in other theaters such as the western Pacific.
The military also expended more than 1,200 Patriot interceptor missiles — about double last year’s production of roughly 600 — and reportedly used over 1,000 Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) and ATACMS surface-to-surface missiles.
Costs climbed sharply. CSIS and the American Enterprise Institute estimated in an early-April report that the campaign cost between $28 billion and $35 billion. They put average daily costs near $1 billion. Pentagon documents reported to Congress show munitions expended in the first two days alone cost about $5.6 billion.
As munitions consumption rose, the Pentagon redeployed some missiles and forces stationed in Asia and Europe to the Middle East. Officials said a carrier strike group in the South China Sea, Marine forces across the Pacific and THAAD interceptors based in South Korea were among the units shifted.
Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, warned that at current production rates it could take years to rebuild the expended stockpiles.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt disputed the reporting, saying the United States has the world’s strongest military and possesses sufficient weapons and munitions to defend the homeland and conduct required operations. The Pentagon, citing operational security, declined to comment on specific force levels.
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▮ CBC News | CBCNEWS Ha Young-su, Reporter
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