On April 23 (local time), according to The Wall Street Journal citing US officials, the US military used more than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles in the conflict with Iran.
In addition to long-range attack missiles, the US has also consumed about 1,500 to 2,000 important air defense missiles. These weapons include THAAD and Patriot systems, which are used to intercept missiles and protect military targets as well as strategic infrastructure.
In which, Tomahawk is a cruise missile launched from a warship, with long range and high accuracy, often used to attack important ground targets. Patriot and THAAD systems are multi-layered defenses, tasked with intercepting ballistic missiles and air threats at various altitudes.
According to reports, the use of large quantities of missiles in a short time has significantly reduced US weapons stockpiles. These are high-cost weapons and the production time cannot increase quickly in the short term.
Assessments suggest that supplementing the full number of missiles used may take up to 6 years, depending on the manufacturing capacity of the defense industry and related supply chains. This includes the production of components, warheads and guidance systems.
The high consumption situation also prompted some agencies in the US administration to reconsider operational plans in future crisis situations, in order to ensure sufficient reserve capacity for prolonged or multiple hotspot scenarios at the same time.
Some US defense officials believe that the pressure on the current arsenal reflects the high consumption nature of modern conflicts, in which continuously maintaining a system of defense and attack can quickly reduce strategic reserves.
This development shows that not only are war costs increasing, but it also poses a major challenge to the ability of major powers to maintain long-term military capabilities in the context of prolonged conflict.
