Pentagon gives industry 21 days to submit plans for faster weapons production

Published Aug 11, 02:54 PM UTC

The Pentagon, facing depleted munitions stockpiles after combat with Iran, has given defense companies 21 days to submit plans for dramatically accelerating weapons production. Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg's August 5 memo demands 'significantly faster, more aggressive delivery schedules' for critical capabilities, stating that 'years-long development cycles are not acceptable.' The memo asks firms to propose capital investments and facility expansions, and to demonstrate willingness to 'put skin in the game.' Recent CSIS analysis shows U.S. Patriot interceptor stocks fell from 2,330 to between 759 and 827, and THAAD stocks from 452 to between 234 and 278. Delivery timelines are estimated at 42 months for Patriot PAC-3 MSE and 53 months for THAAD. The Pentagon has already signed framework agreements with L3Harris to nearly triple PAC-3 propulsion production and quadruple THAAD component output. The review extends beyond Iran-related weapons to 16 critical programs including the Next Generation Interceptor and NASAMS.