U.S. Army depletes long-range missile stockpiles amid Iran conflict

The U.S. Army has exhausted the majority of its inventory of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and the newer Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) during the ongoing five-month conflict with Iran, three sources familiar with the data said. The weapons, which cost over $1 million each, have been employed for long-range strikes, allowing forces to engage targets from a safe distance.

Two of the sources said the United States has used "virtually all" of these missiles, though they declined to disclose exact remaining quantities. A fourth source noted that while Central Command’s land-based missile stock was nearly depleted, additional munitions have been drawn from other U.S. depots worldwide.

The White House, citing President Donald Trump, responded that the United States possesses "far more munitions than anyone in the world" and that defense contractors are producing munitions at unprecedented rates. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell affirmed that the military remains "the most powerful in the world" and has a "deep arsenal of capabilities" to meet operational demands.

Analysts warned that the drawdown could limit the U.S. ability to deter other adversaries, including Russia and China, especially as the ATACMS are being phased out in favor of the newer PrSM, which entered service with limited initial stockpiles. The conflict has also strained other defensive inventories: a Center for Strategic and International Studies report estimated that about 65% of Patriot interceptors and roughly 38% of THAAD interceptors have been expended since February, while roughly half of the global Tomahawk cruise-missile supply has been used.

Defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have not commented on the stockpile levels. Raytheon’s parent company RTX is reportedly negotiating a multi-year agreement with the Pentagon to increase Tomahawk production as the United States seeks to rebuild its munitions reserves.