Pentagon Urges Defense Contractors to Accelerate Weapons Production

Reference News Network reported on August 11 According to a report from the Washington Post website on August 9, a memorandum obtained by the newspaper from the Department of Defense shows that the Pentagon is urging the U.S. defense industry to rapidly increase the production and delivery scale of weapons, including various types of ammunition that are extremely short due to the war against Iran.

Ammunition Shortage Intensifies

The previously undisclosed memorandum indicates that Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve VanBeck wrote to defense industry leaders on the 5th, stating: “A research and development cycle lasting several years is unacceptable. We must significantly accelerate project timelines and immediately expand production capacity.” The letter also mentioned that defense industry leaders have no more than 21 days to submit proposals to “significantly accelerate the delivery schedule of key equipment, take proactive measures, and/or expand production capacity.”

VanBeck stated in the memorandum that the Department of Defense is “fundamentally changing the development, production, and deployment model of military capabilities to address current and future challenges.”

VanBeck pointed out that several key weapon projects will be “considered for accelerated advancement or increased procurement” during the fiscal year 2028 budget review phase. These projects include the “Next Generation Interceptor” missile defense program, the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, mobile air defense radar systems, advanced pilot training systems, and space-based missile tracking systems.

The memorandum requires “leading industry companies” to develop accelerated delivery plans and provide “the fastest production timelines that can fulfill orders and increase capacity.”

The memorandum also requires defense companies to “propose specific capital investment and facility expansion plans to support the Department of Defense's demand for large-scale, continuous orders.”

In just the first month of the war against Iran, the U.S. launched over 850 “Tomahawk” cruise missiles, more than 1,000 “Patriot” surface-to-air missiles, and “THAAD” interceptor missiles. In the initial weeks of the conflict, U.S. forces also used over 1,300 Army tactical ballistic missiles.

An analysis report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies shows that as of last week, the global inventory of “Patriot” missiles has dropped from 2,200 before the U.S. went to war with Iran to less than 827, and the inventory of “THAAD” missiles has decreased from 452 to less than 278.

It has been previously reported that some U.S. ammunition stocks are in urgent need, increasing the risks faced by the U.S. military and forcing the White House to abandon plans for escalation of strikes.

Congressional Funding Stalemate

At the time this directive was issued, the ammunition shortage issue had become a source of tension between President Trump and the Department of Defense. Industry experts say that the Pentagon and the White House have implemented a series of measures to address this issue, but unless Congress allocates extraordinary defense spending, this predicament is likely to remain unresolved, and this directive is the latest in a series of measures.

Before VanBeck issued this directive, the Trump administration had already begun related work to unlock military funding for the defense industry.

In November last year, Secretary of Defense Hegseth delivered a speech outlining his vision for reforming the Pentagon's procurement process in collaboration with the U.S. industry to ensure that the military can operate in a wartime state.

The Pentagon has brought in several former executives from Silicon Valley companies, such as former Uber executive Emil Michael, who was appointed as the Deputy Secretary for Research and Engineering, responsible for reforming defense innovation and procurement processes.

In recent months, the Pentagon has signed multiple framework agreements with leading U.S. defense contractors and emerging startups to enhance the supply of low-cost munitions and advanced air defense weapons.

On the 3rd, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that it had signed framework agreements with Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin to expand the production capacity of the “Patriot Advanced Capability”-3 missiles (PAC-3) and “THAAD” missiles. Last week, the Pentagon awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth $58.6 billion, requiring it to triple the production of PAC-3 missiles by 2030.

In May, the Pentagon announced that it had signed multiple framework agreements with several defense technology companies, including Anduril, Castellum, Coaspearl, Raytheon, and Five Eyes Technologies, aimed at “significantly expanding” the U.S. military's strike capabilities and procuring low-cost missiles from these companies. At the end of June, the Department of Defense also hosted leaders from several Silicon Valley startups, stating that these companies would play a key role in U.S. weapons supply efforts.

Industry experts say that such framework agreements are legally binding contracts between the U.S. government and private partners but are not enforceable, reflecting the Department of Defense's intentions for weapon procurement, but the agreements can only be finalized after receiving congressional appropriations.

As a key part of the U.S. Department of Defense's accelerated procurement strategy, whether these framework agreements for weapon procurement can advance depends on whether Congress can pass a $1.15 trillion defense spending bill. This bill is currently at a stalemate, with Democrats opposing large increases in military spending.

It is reported that during the stalemate of the bill and while the framework agreements await approval, some defense contractors are covering production costs out of their own pockets, which will pose risks to the industry. (Translated by Lin Chaohui)