The United States will need several years to replenish the munitions used during its six-week armed conflict with Iran, a senior military official told Congress, underscoring strain on current defense capabilities.

Air Force Lieutenant General Heath Collins, director of the Missile Defense Agency, said during a House Armed Services Committee hearing that the sustained use of missile defense systems has significantly affected the operational readiness of U.S forces. Testifying on missile defense plans for fiscal year 2027, Collins noted that restocking remains a slow process despite active daily production.

The Pentagon is expected to release a more precise estimate of the recovery timeline in the coming weeks.

Text Reads: The director of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Lieutenant General Heath Collins, informed Congress that it will take the United States several years to replenish its munitions. These were used during the six-week armed conflict with Iran, impacting operational capacity. 🔴 The war depleted the stockpile of Patriot and THAAD missiles, with more than 2,400 interceptors used—almost the entire arsenal. This situation coincides with the contradiction within the US Executive branch, where President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire that Vice President J.D. Vance denied.

The conflict began on February 28, when the United States and Israel carried out strikes on targets in Iran, including Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran responded with attacks on Israeli territory and U.S military installations across the Middle East, deploying a large number of projectiles.

Data from the conflict indicate a rapid depletion of interceptor missiles used in Patriot and THAAD systems. Within the first 48 hours, Iran launched approximately 1,200 projectiles, around 70 percent of them low-cost drones.

U.S forces stationed in the Persian Gulf responded by firing 618 Patriot PAC-3 missiles over a 96-hour period. After one month of fighting, interceptor use had surpassed 2,400 units, approaching the pre-war stockpile estimated at 2,800. This level of expenditure has left U.S and allied air defense systems more exposed.

The military assessment comes amid conflicting statements from the U.S executive branch. President Donald Trump announced a two-week bilateral ceasefire with Iran, while Vice President J.D. Vance stated on Sunday that no such agreement exists.

The White House indicated that the next round of negotiations between Washington and Tehran will likely take place in Islamabad, Pakistan, although no date has been confirmed.

Collins’ remarks contrast with earlier statements by Trump, who said on social media that U.S supplies were “guaranteed” and that wars could be sustained “eternally” with success. The Pentagon’s assessment instead points to a constrained inventory and continued uncertainty over both military readiness and diplomatic efforts.

Author: MK

Source: Agencies