US Faces Shortage of Key Military Munitions and Missiles

US Navy Secretary Hung Cao Testifies on Taiwan Weapons Sales Amid Iran War Concerns

The acting US Navy secretary, Hung Cao, appeared before a Senate committee on Thursday to discuss $14 billion in approved but unsigned weapons sales to Taiwan. According to Cao, the US is currently conducting a pause in supplies due to “matters of inventory.” The pause was attributed to ensuring sufficient munitions for the ongoing military operation, Epic Fury.

Cao’s comments sparked some confusion with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s earlier statement that Epic Fury had concluded. However, Cao emphasized that the pause is not related to a critical shortage of weapons.

Separately, a report by The Washington Post revealed that the US used more advanced missile-defence interceptors during the 40-day Iran war than Israel itself did. According to the report, over 200 Terminal High Altitude Area Defenses (THAAD) and Standard Missile-3 and Standard Missile-6 interceptors were launched.

Analysts have noted that dwindling munitions may be influencing Washington’s calculations regarding resuming its involvement in the conflict with Iran. The Pentagon has downplayed concerns about dwindling weapons, stating that ballistic missile interceptors are “just one tool” in the US air defence network.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) had previously warned that US forces had heavily used seven critical ammunitions during the war, expending more than half of their pre-war inventory. The report stated that rebuilding to pre-war levels would take from one to four years due to delivery delays.

Experts have noted that unless a conflict with China erupts over Taiwan, the US is largely prepared for now. However, they also emphasized the importance of contingency planning and emergency preparedness in case of future conflicts.

Source: Al Jazeera