Rockets may not be enough – CBS reveals the main challenge for the US

The American defense industry is struggling to replenish missile stocks amid ongoing conflicts. CBS reports that Lockheed Martin produces 750 Patriot missiles per year, while the US used about 1,500 interceptors during the campaign against Iran. The Pentagon demands increasing production to 2,000 units per year, but faces limitations: manufacturing one missile takes six weeks, and some components take up to two years.

The American military-industrial complex faces a serious problem: high-tech weapons exist, but their stocks are rapidly depleting, and production capacity cannot keep up with demand. CBS reports that Lockheed Martin produces about 750 Patriot interceptor missiles per year, each costing approximately $4 million. However, during the military campaign against Iran alone, the US used about 1,500 such interceptors. Mark Cancian from the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates the total cost of munitions used against Iran at $25 billion. The Pentagon demands that defense contractors increase Patriot production to 2,000 units per year, but the process runs into technological limitations: manufacturing one missile takes six weeks, and some components take up to two years. Lockheed Martin works with 500–1,000 suppliers, and a delay in one part stalls the entire cycle. In parallel, the Pentagon is seeking cheaper solutions: CoAspire is developing a cruise missile costing several hundred thousand dollars, consisting of 200 parts. The Pentagon plans to purchase about 10,000 such missiles from CoAspire and other startups. The article relies on CBS data and expert assessments, without overt propaganda or commercial bias.