Pentagon Urges Defense Contractors to Accelerate Weapons Production

The Pentagon has instructed U.S. arms firms to speed up the production and delivery of critical weapons systems as munitions stockpiles dwindle due to the war with Iran. Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg told contractors that years long development cycles are not acceptable and demanded plans to drive more aggressive delivery schedules within 21 days. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the memo and stated it would inform the fiscal year 2028 budget request to Congress.

Reports indicate that the U.S. has used virtually all of its stockpile of highly accurate long range missiles, specifically the Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM). While the Defense Department has reached framework agreements with startups and established firms like Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin to increase supplies, these arrangements remain nonbinding and depend on congressional funding. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger noted that replenishing these arsenals will take longer than two years.

There are conflicting accounts regarding the internal administration response to these shortages. Some reports suggest a clash occurred between President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the diminished stockpiles. However, the White House has strongly disputed these reports. President Trump stated on Truth Social that the U.S. has massive amounts of munitions and expressed satisfaction with Secretary Hegseth's performance. A White House official attributed the reports to leakers.