In recent months, there has been lively debate in Washington over a serious problem that poses a potential threat to the US military — an ammunition shortage caused by the conflict with Iran. A new report by the Pentagon’s Inspector General, presented to the US Congress for the first time, contains alarming details regarding the costs and consequences of the military operation codenamed ‘Epic Fury’.
According to this document, between the end of February and June this year, the US spent around $33.4 billion on the military campaign against Iran, of which a staggering $22.3 billion went solely on ammunition. This has led to a strategic shortage of ammunition and exposed weaknesses in the supply chain that are hindering the prompt replenishment of stocks.
Despite these figures, Pentagon officials have repeatedly assured the public that the US military is fully equipped with all the resources necessary to conduct combat operations. Even President Donald Trump himself stated that the US is producing ‘more sophisticated and elite weapons than ever before’, and that these weapons are being delivered daily to military bases in the Middle East and beyond.
However, the report also highlights significant losses sustained during the conflict. Iranian strikes caused serious damage to hundreds of facilities at US bases in the region, including in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and other countries. In addition, dozens of US aircraft were destroyed or damaged.
Back in early August, CNN and Reuters reported that stocks of interceptor missiles for the Patriot system had been significantly depleted, and that the US had virtually exhausted its arsenal of high-precision long-range missiles, such as ATACMS and the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM). Despite these claims, the head of the Pentagon, Pete Hegset, refuted this information, stating that it was untrue.
Nevertheless, the situation remains tense, and the question of the state of US weapons stocks in light of the ongoing conflict with Iran is becoming increasingly pressing.