Iran War Depletes U.S. Missiles Needed for China — SkimNews
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- Iran war has killed 18 American service members and wounded 790, while Pentagon estimates put major war costs at $37.5 billion by the end of the fiscal year.
- U.S. forces reportedly used almost half the global Tomahawk supply and virtually all Army Tactical Missile Systems and Precision Strike Missiles.
- U.S. forces fired roughly 1,700 Patriot and more than 200 THAAD interceptors by mid-July, according to the source.
- Center for Strategic and International Studies simulations found that a U.S.-China conflict would generally consume 5,000 long-range missiles in four weeks.
- Pentagon signed seven-year agreements intended to triple Patriot PAC-3 MSE production capacity and quadruple THAAD production capacity.
- Krishnamoorthi recommended expanding weapons co-production with Ukraine and U.S. allies to rebuild industrial capacity and munitions stockpiles.
Why it matters: The Iran war’s $37.5 billion estimated cost is only part of the bill: U.S. forces have fired roughly 1,700 Patriot and more than 200 THAAD interceptors, while a China-conflict simulation used 5,000 long-range missiles in four weeks. Stockpile depth is now a direct constraint on deterrence, not just a wartime expense.
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