The U.S. has exhausted its stockpile of JASSM-ER missiles due to intense combat operations in Iran
The United States used about two-thirds of its arsenal of JASSM-ER stealth precision-guided missiles during a military operation in Iran, creating a critical shortage of weapons.
Bloomberg reported this on April 5, 2026, citing its own sources. In late March, the Pentagon ordered the removal of missiles, each costing $1.5 million, from bases in the Pacific and the U.S. for redeployment to Central Command facilities and the British base at Fairford.
Once the current logistics operation is complete, the U.S. will have only about 425 serviceable missiles remaining from its pre-war stockpile of 2,300 units. This quantity is sufficient for only a single massive sortie by a group of 17 B-1B bombers. In just the first month of the war, the U.S. Air Force fired over 1,000 such missiles to strike protected targets deep within Iranian territory beyond the range of air defense systems.
Lockheed Martin’s production rate, which tops out at 860 units per year, does not cover the military’s monthly consumption, so it will take years to fully replenish the arsenal. This creates strategic risks for U.S. defense capabilities and its ability to wage a potential conflict with China. The situation with the JASSM-ER marks the third instance of rapidly depleting stocks of critical weaponry amid escalation in the Middle East, while Russia closely monitors the depletion of U.S. resources. Currently, the White House is seeking ways to accelerate defense production, in parallel with Donald Trump’s ultimatums regarding Iranian infrastructure.
U.S. President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran’s leadership, demanding that the Strait of Hormuz be reopened by 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday Eastern Time (3:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 8, Kyiv time).
Prior to this, Trump had issued an ultimatum to Iran’s leadership demanding that the Strait of Hormuz be unblocked by Tuesday, April 7.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that a deal with Iran could be reached as early as April 6, 2026, warning of the complete destruction of critical infrastructure should negotiations fail.
