US Weapons Shortage Alarms Asian Allies Amid Iran War
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US Weapons Shortage Alarms Asian Allies Amid Iran War
- The ongoing conflict with Iran has significantly depleted U.S. munitions stockpiles, with estimates suggesting that over 1,500 Patriot interceptor missiles have been expended, leaving fewer than 1,700 units remaining.
- Concerns about U.S. readiness for a potential conflict with China are escalating, particularly after the United States canceled a joint amphibious landing exercise with South Korea, known as Ssangyong, scheduled for September 2026.
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The extensive use of U.S. munitions in the Middle East due to the ongoing war with Iran is raising alarms among Asian allies and within the Pentagon. Officials fear that the prolonged conflict could undermine the U.S.’s ability to respond to potential aggression from China and North Korea in the Indo-Pacific region. This concern is exacerbated by China’s increasing military pressure in the region, including its largest-ever military drill around Taiwan in December, which encircled the island with ships and aircraft.
The depletion of U.S. weapons stockpiles is substantial. Analysts estimate that the U.S. has used most of its pre-Iran-war inventory of Patriot and THAAD interceptors, with only around 1,000 remaining by late July. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) reported in April 2026 that the U.S. had expended approximately half of its Patriot air defense missiles and a significant portion of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors. Furthermore, the U.S. has fired more than 1,000 Tomahawk missiles in the Iran war, from a pre-war stockpile of 3,100 to 4,500.
The strain on resources has led to tangible consequences in the Indo-Pacific. The U.S. canceled a joint amphibious landing exercise with South Korea, known as Ssangyong, scheduled for September 2026, citing demands on U.S. forces from the war in Iran. This cancellation followed an earlier announcement by President Donald Trump to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea. Asian partners, including Japan and Taiwan, who rely on the U.S. for conventional weapons, are facing years-long backlogs for deliveries. For instance, nearly $30 billion in U.S. arms approved for sale to Taiwan, including Patriot missiles, have yet to be delivered. Experts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies have indicated through war games that defending against an invasion of Taiwan would likely exhaust many critical U.S. weapons within weeks.