Pentagon officials give conflicting accounts on munitions shortages
11 reported
In May 2026, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao told Congress that the U.S. was pausing arms sales to Taiwan to ensure sufficient munitions for the Iran war, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later said he would not couple the two issues and expressed confidence in current and future production rates. The article reports that the U.S. war with Iran, which ended in April 2026 with 14 Americans dead and 409 wounded, burned through air defense ammunition at a fast pace, with Israel’s high-end Arrow interceptor stockpile falling to “double digits” and the U.S. firing more interceptors in Israel’s defense than Israel itself. Shortages are also affecting Ukraine, where after a June 2026 Russian air raid killed 22 people, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged faster deliveries of Patriot systems, and Ukraine proposed borrowing Patriot ammunition from Germany. The article notes that a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan, largely consisting of Patriot ammunition, is partly delayed due to shortages, though President Trump also called the delay a negotiating chip. Experts cited in the article warn that future U.S. wars may involve heavy bombing on both sides, as the economics of air defense make it increasingly costly to insulate allies from retaliation.
What’s reported
In May 2026, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao told Congress the U.S. was pausing arms sales to Taiwan to ensure munitions for the Iran war.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later said he would not couple the two issues and felt good about current and future production rates.
The U.S.-Iran war ended in April 2026 with 14 Americans dead and 409 wounded.
Israel’s high-end Arrow interceptor stockpile fell to “double digits,” according to a U.S. source cited by Drop Site.
The U.S. military fired more interceptors in Israel’s defense than the Israeli army itself, per The Washington Post.
After a June 2026 Russian air raid killed 22 people, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pleaded for faster Patriot deliveries.
Ukraine proposed “borrowing” Patriot ammunition from Germany.
A $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan, largely consisting of Patriot ammunition, is partly delayed due to shortages, per Reuters.
President Trump told Fox News the delay was “a very good negotiating chip for us” against China.
The U.S. military used about 25 percent of its JASSMs in the Iran war, according to a RUSI study.
A CSIS war game from January 2023 found the U.S. would run out of LRASM within days and JASSMs within two to three weeks in a Pacific war.
Key figures
Hung Cao, acting Navy Secretary
Pete Hegseth, Defense Secretary
Josh Paul, former State Department official in charge of weapons sales
Justin Logan, director of defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President
Kelly Grieco, fellow at the Stimson Center
President Donald Trump
Sources: reason.com
