Report reveals critical depletion of American weapons stockpiles during Iran war

Web Desk
April 25, 2026

WASHINGTON – The ongoing war between the United States and Iran has begun taking a heavy toll on America’s defense and economic capabilities, with a new investigation revealing that the US has exhausted billions of dollars worth of critical weaponry and is spending nearly $1 billion per day on the conflict.

According to a comprehensive report by The New York Times and analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the US military has consumed a staggering proportion of its most advanced and expensive munitions during the 56-day-old war.

‘Alarming’ Depletion of Key Weapons Stockpiles

The investigation reveals that America’s arsenal of high-end weaponry has been dangerously drained:

Weapon System	Quantity Used	Key Detail
Patriot Interceptor Missiles	Over 1,200	Each costs over $4 million; represents over 60% of inventory
JASSM-ER Stealth Cruise Missiles	~1,100	Only 1,500 remain; originally built for war with China
Tomahawk Cruise Missiles	Over 1,000	Roughly 10 times the annual production rate
THAAD Interceptors	Up to 290 (~80%)	Replenishment expected to take 53 months
PrSM & ATACMS Missiles	Over 1,000	Inventories left “worryingly low”

Mark F. Cancian, a retired Marine Corps colonel and senior adviser at CSIS, told the NYT: “The US has many munitions with adequate inventories, but some critical ground-attack and missile-defence munitions were short before the war and are even shorter now”.

Strategic Repercussions: America ‘Less Ready’ for China and Russia

The depletion has left the US military “less ready” to confront major adversaries like China and Russia, according to defense officials cited by the NYT. The report noted that the war has forced the Pentagon to divert or delay weapons deliveries to allies including Japan, Ukraine, and NATO members.

A CSIS analyst warned that rebuilding US arsenals to pre-war levels could take one to four years, and recovering full readiness would take even longer. Some officials cited by the Wall Street Journal expressed concern that if China were to invade Taiwan, the US military might not be able to fully execute its contingency plans.

The Cost: Up to $35 Billion and Rising

The financial toll of the war is equally alarming:

Total estimated cost: $28 billion to $35 billion
Daily expenditure: Approximately $900 million to $1 billion
First two days alone: $5.6 billion in munitions

However, experts warn that the true cost could be far higher. Harvard University public finance expert Linda Bilmes argues that Pentagon figures based on “historical value” of existing stockpiles drastically understate the true price. She estimates the actual short-term cost at $2 billion per day, with the long-term total — including veteran care, replenishment, and interest on debt — potentially exceeding $1 trillion.

Asymmetric Warfare: The Economic Trap

One of the most concerning aspects highlighted by analysts is the severe economic asymmetry of the conflict. The US is depleting million-dollar interceptor missiles to shoot down Iranian drones that cost as little as $20,000 to $30,000 each.

This “high-cost defense vs. low-cost offense” dynamic is rapidly draining the American treasury and munitions stockpiles at an unsustainable rate.

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Production Bottlenecks: The Industrial Weakness

The crisis is compounded by deep structural problems in the US defense industry. Analysts warn that replenishing the arsenal is not simply a matter of approving more money:

Lead times for critical components like solid rocket motors stretch to 24-36 months
The US produces only around 600 Patriot missiles annually — far below wartime consumption rates
The Pentagon is reportedly in talks with General Motors and Ford to explore converting auto plants to produce military components — a sign of severe industrial strain reminiscent of World War II

The CSIS concluded that rebuilding key stockpiles would take years, leaving a dangerous gap in US military readiness that America’s adversaries have likely already noted.