The U.S. may have burned through roughly half of its Patriot missile interceptors during the 39-day conflict with Iran, according to a new analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, underscoring how even a campaign lasting just weeks can place heavy strain on key munitions stockpiles.
While the U.S. still has enough firepower to sustain operations in the current fight, analysts warn the greater risk lies in a future conflict against a peer adversary such as China. Even before the Iran war, U.S. stockpiles of key precision munitions were considered insufficient for a large-scale conflict with a major geopolitical rival.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressives and some defense analysts have raised concerns about the sustainability of current munitions usage rates, arguing that the drawdown exposes vulnerabilities in U.S. military readiness. Progressive Democrats have long advocated for greater scrutiny of defense spending and have questioned whether the Iran conflict was necessary given the strain on stockpiles.
Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., a member of the House Armed Services Committee, has previously argued that the U.S. should prioritize diplomatic solutions over military strikes to avoid depleting critical munitions. The Congressional Progressive Caucus has called for more robust oversight of weapons usage and procurement costs.
Left-leaning analysts at the Institute for Policy Studies have noted that the $70 billion FY27 munitions request represents a nearly threefold increase over current levels, raising questions about the long-term fiscal sustainability of ongoing military operations. These critics argue that such spending diverts resources from domestic priorities.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative lawmakers and defense hawks have largely supported the Iran campaign, arguing that it was necessary to protect U.S. interests and allies in the region. They emphasize that the Pentagon is taking aggressive steps to rebuild stockpiles and have dismissed concerns about shortages as politically motivated alarmism.
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell stated: "America's military is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the President's choosing. Attempts to alarm Americans over the Department’s magazine depth are both ill-informed and dishonorable."
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., a frequent advocate for robust defense spending, has praised the administration's FY27 budget request as a necessary investment in national security. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., has called the munitions request "critical to maintaining American superiority in an increasingly dangerous world."
Conservative commentators have also noted that the Iran operation successfully degraded Iranian military capabilities while protecting U.S. forces, arguing that the strategic benefits outweigh the costs of replenishing stockpiles.
What the Numbers Show
The CSIS analysis provides specific estimates of munitions used during the 39-day campaign. U.S. forces fired more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles, priced at approximately $2.6 million each, totaling roughly $2.2 billion in single weapon system expenditures.
More than 1,000 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs) were also used, representing a significant portion of the inventory. Patriot interceptor use was estimated between 1,060 and 1,430 missiles — more than half of the U.S. prewar inventory.
Other high-end systems saw heavy use: 190 to 290 THAAD interceptors (~$15.5 million each), 130 to 250 SM-3 interceptors (~$28.7 million each), and 190 to 370 Navy SM-6 missiles (~$5.3 million each). The Army's newer precision strike missile was used in smaller numbers, with 40 to 70 fired.
The administration's FY27 budget requests approximately $70 billion for munitions — nearly threefold increase over current levels. The Navy's portion includes $22.6 billion for over 4,600 all-up rounds, funding increased production of Standard Missiles, Tomahawks, AMRAAMs, and PAC-3 interceptors.
Defense Intelligence Agency director Lt. Gen. James Adams told the House Armed Services Committee that despite coalition strikes, Iran retains "thousands of missiles and one-way attack UAV's capable of threatening U.S. and partner forces throughout the region."
The Bottom Line
The Iran campaign has revealed the strain that even limited military operations place on U.S. precision munitions stockpiles. While current inventories remain sufficient for ongoing operations, defense analysts warn that a future conflict with a peer adversary like China would require sustained use of the same high-end missiles now being depleted.
The Pentagon's $70 billion FY27 munitions request reflects the urgency of rebuilding stockpiles. The administration is seeking sharp increases in purchases of Tomahawk cruise missiles, Patriot and THAAD interceptors, and long-range strike weapons. The Navy is initiating multi-year contracts for Tomahawk and Standard Missile production.
Iran retains significant military capabilities despite coalition strikes, according to DIA testimony. With thousands of missiles and drones still in Iran's arsenal capable of threatening forces throughout the region, the U.S. will need to maintain substantial missile defense capabilities while simultaneously rebuilding its offensive stockpiles — a dual challenge that could take years to fully address.