According to several sources, the war between the US and Iran has dramatically accelerated the consumption of American ammunition. During the first days of fighting, US forces reportedly used a volume of weapons approaching the annual stockpile of some systems, the Financial Times writes.
This is most evident in the case of long-range Tomahawk missiles, which are a key component of US navy strike operations and are also among the most expensive weapons in the US arsenal.
The rapid depletion of ammunition is raising concerns in Congress and among experts that the US military is entering a situation in which the rate of consumption significantly exceeds the production capacity of the defence industry.
The Pentagon is therefore preparing a request for additional funding of up to $50 billion. However, this may meet resistance from Republican fiscal conservatives and Democrats who criticise the way the administration started the conflict.
