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By Liam Scott | Staff Writer with Agencies
The Pentagon is urging U.S. missile manufacturers to double or even quadruple their production capacity in response to critically depleted stockpiles and growing fears of a potential conflict with China, according to a Wall Street Journal report released Monday.
Senior defense officials, including War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, recently met with leading missile industry executives to outline ambitious production goals. Sources familiar with the discussions told the Journal that the meetings underscored an urgent drive within the Department of Defense to secure larger quantities of key munitions, especially as tensions escalate over Taiwan.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that “President Trump and Secretary Hegseth are exploring extraordinary avenues to expand our military might and accelerate the production of munitions.” He added that the effort represents a close collaboration between the defense industry and senior Pentagon leadership.
U.S. weapons stockpiles have been heavily drawn down since February 2022, with an estimated 66.9 billion dollars in military aid sent to Ukraine. Patriot missiles, which the U.S. primarily supplies, have become the most frequently used interceptors in Ukraine’s defense against Russian attacks. Recent hostilities, including Israel’s 12-day conflict with Iran, have further strained American missile inventories.
The U.S. Army and other branches have already launched initiatives to address weapons shortages stemming from the Ukraine war. However, analysts cited by the Journal warned that the Pentagon’s aggressive missile production targets may exceed the funding available under the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act. That legislation earmarks 25 billion dollars over five years for munitions, a sum that may prove insufficient to meet the department’s objectives.
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