U.S. Faces Munitions Shortage as Hegseth Orders Defense Industry to Ramp Up Production

The Washington Post reported overnight (between Shabbat and Sunday) that the Pentagon, led by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, approached U.S. weapons manufacturers and demanded that they submit plans within 21 days for the rapid delivery of weapons systems. Manufacturers were also instructed to increase their production capacity.

The demand letter was signed by Deputy Secretary of War Steve Feinberg, who made clear to the industry that the Pentagon wants to shift to a model that can sustain production at a pace suited to a prolonged war. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed to the Post that the memo is authentic, saying its conclusions will also be used in shaping the defense budget for fiscal year 2028.

According to the report, the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington (CSIS) estimates that the U.S. stockpile of Patriot interceptors worldwide fell from roughly 2,200 on the eve of the war to between 759 and 827 at the end of last month.

In addition, the stockpile of THAAD interceptors, designed to intercept ballistic missiles at high altitude, fell from about 452 to fewer than 278. A separate analysis by the institute found that the United States has already used approximately 65% of the Patriot interceptors it had at the start of the war, while its THAAD inventory has declined by at least 38%.