Pentagon inspector general reports $22.3 billion munitions spend fuels inventory shortfalls
A Department of Defense inspector-general report to Congress says $22.3 billion was spent on ammunition for Operation Epic Fury, creating strategic inventory gaps and highlighting production bottlenecks.
The Defense Department’s inspector general told Congress that between February 28 and June 30 the United States spent an estimated $33.4 billion on Operation Epic Fury, with $22.3 billion allocated to munitions. The report said the high level of ammunition use has created "strategic inventory shortfalls" and exposed bottlenecks in the industrial base for resupply.
It also documented losses of U.S. assets, including four F-15 fighters destroyed, one F-35 damaged, seven KC-135 tanker aircraft damaged and up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones destroyed.
"For a war against Iran, the answer is yes. The problem is a war against China. We might be able to provide enough munitions for a month, but getting on to month two or month three or four, that's a great challenge," said Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies when asked about the sustainability of U.S. munitions supplies.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has urged the defense industry to increase production, a sentiment echoed by Lockheed Martin’s missile division head Tim Cahill, who described the current manufacturing environment as "controlled chaos."
The inspector general’s findings also included non-military costs related to the conflict. The State Department incurred $79.2 million for evacuation and related expenses, while repairs to diplomatic facilities damaged by Iranian strikes were estimated at $184 million. Damage to U.S. bases across the Gulf region was noted, though cost estimates for those repairs were not provided.