Now-ousted US general warned of defense munition shortage months before Iran war - report

A retired US general cautioned that the American military was dangerously low on missile defense munitions in the months leading up to the Iran conflict, according to a CBS News report on Thursday. Army Chief of Staff General Randy George's risk analysis was reportedly included in the Pentagon's Global Force Management Allocation Plan, which was published in late December. However, General George was dismissed by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in April, amidst the ongoing war with Iran.

The general's warning was based on several factors, including the transfer of Patriot systems to Ukraine, munitions used in defending Israel, and reduced production by the defense industry. CBS quoted anonymous US officials who explained that General George's assessment took into account the depletion of both Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) batteries and Patriot missile stockpiles, which were expected to remain critically low until at least 2030.

The US military does possess a significant stockpile of offensive munitions, such as Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) and Small Diameter Bombs. However, over 50% of Patriot and THAAD interceptor stockpiles had reportedly been expended. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimated in April that only 2,300 Patriot interceptors remained, with 1,050 to 1,430 of those (up to 61% of the pre-war inventory) likely being used during the Iran conflict.

CSIS also estimated that pre-war THAAD stockpiles included about 355 interceptors, with 190 to 290 of those (up to 82% of the inventory) potentially being used in the war. Replenishing these stockpiles could take up to four years, according to a US official cited by CBS. Despite these shortages, the Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Parnell, denied the reports of munitions shortages, stating that the US has all the necessary capabilities to strike at the time and place of the president's choosing.