The US defence department’s inspector general has reported strategic shortfalls in US munitions and bottlenecks affecting resupply during the war with Iran. The findings contradict President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that American ammunition stocks are “virtually unlimited”.
According to the watchdog, the United States spent more than $22bn on munitions between February and June. The report said this spending contributed to inventory shortfalls, while also identifying “industrial base bottlenecks” that have slowed the replenishment of weapons.
The report did not disclose the number of weapons remaining in US stockpiles. It said the defence department was working to streamline procurement and reduce production lead times so it could address the shortages and respond more quickly to a future contingency.
US forces have used large quantities of long-range ground-attack weapons as well as air and missile-defence systems to intercept Iranian attacks. The inspector general’s findings offer an unusually detailed independent view of weapons stocks, which are generally classified. A separate estimate by the Center for Strategic and International Studies said stocks of some Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense interceptors had fallen significantly, in some cases by more than half.
The White House rejected the watchdog’s conclusions. Spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the US military had “more than enough” munitions, ammunition and stockpiles to meet the president’s strategic goals and other requirements. Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have also dismissed reports of shortages, with Trump saying in a September Truth Social post that the US was stockpiling weapons for any contingency.
The inspector general’s report put overall US spending on the war at $33.4bn between 28 February and 30 June, including $3.7bn in equipment losses and $7.4bn in other expenditure. A Congressional Budget Office estimate placed the cost higher, at $38bn, including replacement weapons and equipment, increased flying hours and fuel costs. The report said four F-15E fighter jets, one F-35 and 30 MQ-9 drones had been destroyed in various circumstances.