Pentagon spokesperson denies munitions shortage following Iran operations

Parnell: “America’s military remains the most powerful fighting force on earth.”

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The Pentagon has rejected reports that the United States is running short of munitions following repeated operations in Iran, even as the Defense Department pushes weapons manufacturers to accelerate production of critical military supplies.

“Claims of US munitions shortages are false,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.

“America’s military remains the most powerful fighting force on earth. We have everything required to strike at the time and place of the President’s choosing,” Parnell added.

His comments followed reports detailing the volume of weapons used by the US military. Reuters reported on August 4 that the US Army had depleted “virtually all” of its stockpile of long-range missiles.

The Washington Post reported that during the first month of the conflict with Iran, US forces fired more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles and over 1,000 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missiles while using at least 1,300 tactical ballistic missiles. Reuters separately reported that the United States used about 65% of its Patriot interceptors between February and July.

President Donald Trump has also rejected suggestions that US weapons supplies are running low. The White House said in early August that the United States had “far more munitions than anyone in the world” and “far more than we need.”

“Our defense companies are, at this moment, making more munitions than they have ever made before, in addition to expanding their plants and equipment at record levels,” Trump said.

The Pentagon has nevertheless called for faster production. The Washington Post reported on August 8 that a Defense Department memo directed leaders to develop plans for substantially accelerating delivery schedules and expanding production.

Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg gave leaders no more than 21 days to submit plans to “drive significantly faster, more aggressive delivery schedules and/or increased production for critical capabilities,” according to the memo.

“Years-long development cycles are not acceptable. We must dramatically accelerate our program schedules and expand our production capacity now,” Feinberg wrote.