Based on reports from early March 2026, the United States has rapidly expended significant quantities of munitions, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, in its conflict with Iran (referred to as Operation Epic Fury), raising concerns among lawmakers and defense analysts regarding stockpile replenishment and long-term military readiness.
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Munitions Depletion and Costs (as of March 12, 2026)
- High Initial Spend: In the first two days of the conflict (beginning Feb. 28, 2026), the Pentagon used approximately $5.6 billion in munitions.
- Total Initial Costs: After six days, the conflict had cost at least $11.3 billion, with costs rising rapidly, leading the Trump administration to prepare a $50 billion emergency funding request.
- Specific Shortages: Heavy use of Tomahawk cruise missiles has caused concerns about diminishing stockpiles for potential future conflicts, such as in the Indo-Pacific.
- Defense Strain: Analysts have warned that the military has only a few weeks of similar bombing levels left before facing shortages of precision-guided munitions.
Replenishment and Production Efforts
- Emergency Production: President Trump has engaged with defense contractors (including Lockheed Martin and RTX) to accelerate production, with some reports indicating agreements to quadruple production of certain critical munitions.
- Defense Production Act: The Trump administration has considered invoking the Defense Production Act to force faster production, going beyond voluntary measures.
- Manufacturing Constraints: Despite the push to increase production, supply chain limitations mean it could take years to fully replenish stocks of advanced weapons like Tomahawks.
- Strategic Risk: While officials have stated they have sufficient weapons for current missions, critics and some officials acknowledge that accelerating usage drains stocks needed for deterrence against other adversaries like China or Russia.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that U.S. forces would be accelerating the conflict and that while some munitions would need replenishing, American forces would be prioritized for resupply.
