US used nearly half of Patriot missile stockpile in Iran campaign, CSIS says

WASHINGTON: The United States consumed nearly half of its Patriot interceptor missile inventory during its seven-week military campaign against Iran, according to an analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

The findings were highlighted in a report by The Hill, which cited the Washington-based think tank’s study and said the scale of munitions use had raised questions about US readiness for a possible future conflict with China.

According to the CSIS study released on Tuesday, US forces fired almost 50% of their Patriot missiles during the operation. The analysis also said more than half of Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) interceptors were used, along with over 45% of Precision Strike Missiles (PrSMs), during the air and missile campaign in Iran.

CSIS further found that more than 20% of Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs), over 30% of SM-3 interceptors and at least 10% of SM-6 missiles were expended in Operation Epic Fury.

Concerns over replenishment timeline

The think tank said restoring stockpiles, including Tomahawk cruise missiles and JASSMs, to levels seen before the operation could take between one and four years. These weapons would be important in any future conflict in the Western Pacific.

"Even before the Iran war, stockpiles were deemed insufficient for a peer competitor fight. That shortfall is now even more acute and building stockpiles to levels adequate for a war with China will take additional time," the report’s authors wrote.

While the United States would likely still have enough munitions to continue operations against Iran, the remaining inventory would not be sufficient in a confrontation with a major adversary such as China.

In a separate assessment, the authors Mark F. Cancian and Chris H. Park wrote: Once Operation Epic Fury ends, the naval assets sent to the Middle East will return to the Pacific. Munitions inventories will start to recover, but restoring depleted stockpiles and then achieving the desired inventory levels will take many years.

US military says it is rebuilding capacity

Amid the concerns, the United States Central Command (Centcom), which led the Iran campaign, said during the ceasefire that its forces were rebuilding capacity. In a social media post, CENTCOM said its forces remain ready.

Speaking alongside US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Centcom commander Admiral Brad Cooper said: We are rearming. We’re retooling, and we’re adjusting our tactics, techniques and procedures. "There is no military in the world that adjusts like we do, and that’s exactly what we’re doing right now during the ceasefire, he added.

The report comes after President Donald Trump held talks in March with leading defence contractors, after which he said production of exquisite class weapons would be increased fourfold.

Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell rejected suggestions that the US military’s capabilities had been undermined, telling The Hill that the country remained fully prepared. "The US military is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to execute missions at the time and place of the President’s choosing," he said.

In a statement, Parnell added: As Secretary [Pete] Hegseth has highlighted numerous times, it took less than 10% of American naval power to control traffic in and out of the Strait of Hormuz. Since President Trump took office, we have executed multiple successful operations across combatant commands while ensuring the US military possesses a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people and our interests. Attempts to alarm Americans over the Department’s munitions stockpiles are both ill-informed and dishonourable.

Meanwhile, Pentagon comptroller Jules ‘Jay’ Hurst said officials were planning to extend multi-year munitions contracts to as long as seven years in an effort to strengthen supply chains and support sustained investment. The proposal is part of the administration’s planned $1.5 trillion defence budget.