US Weapons Programs Stumble as Iran War Drags On
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- U.S. commanders are seeking "new creative and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran," a position the article notes is hard to square with the administration's repeated claims that it has already won the war now in its sixth month.
- Trump's proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget for next year — a 42% boost — addresses only military capability while public will and allied support were neglected when Trump launched the February 28 surprise attack on Iran, according to the article's 'three-legged stool' framing.
- B-52 modernization faces cost and scheduling challenges per a July 31 GAO report, with the Air Force planning $21 billion across 13 modifications to keep the Eisenhower-era bombers flying until 2050.
- The Air Force is seeking new jet fighter engine suppliers in an August 3 statement citing "production delays, quality control issues, and critical obsolescence," with the F-35's Pratt & Whitney engine costing $34 million each per a 2023 report.
- Trump's new Air Force One delivery is delayed to mid-2028, with Pentagon reports warning that the communications gear being installed "is not viable" beyond 2028 due to cybersecurity and obsolescence issues.
- The Navy's battleship program costs jumped 50% per an August 5 CBO report — the first vessel is now projected at $23.4 billion, with a 15-ship fleet totaling $275 billion ($18.3 billion per hull).
- Zumwalt-class hypersonic missile installation is two years behind schedule per a July 17 GAO report, with each $50 million Conventional Prompt Strike missile hampered by Lockheed production issues including work instructions "too complex for the average worker to follow."
Why it matters: The article argues that pouring more money into weapons programs — as Trump's proposed 42% defense budget increase would do — addresses only one of three legs of U.S. power: the military itself, while public will and allied support for the Iran conflict have been neglected. With billion-dollar programs already over budget and behind schedule, the administration is diverting fiscal firepower to a fight the public and allies don't back.
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