As the agency reminds, the first strikes of Operation Epic Fury involved BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles — slower but highly precise missiles with a range of over 1,600 km, designed to hit targets deep in heavily defended territory.
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Each of them costs several million dollars. According to Kelly Grieco of the Stimson Center think tank, quoted by Bloomberg, The US currently has about 4,000. such missiles in stockpiles, hundreds of which have already been used. The problem is that annual production is less than 100 pieces, which means it is difficult to replenish the arsenal quickly.
Trump admitted on Tuesday that although the U.S. has a “virtually unlimited supply” of mid-range ammunition, “at the highest level we have a good supply, but not as much as we would like to have.”
Experts point out that intensive use of tomahawks against a relatively weak adversary could weaken the U.S.'s ability to wage a potential war with a power like China.
Depleting air defense supplies during the attack on Iran
As Bloomberg writes, in addition to offensive missiles, the US and its allies used a significant number of interceptor missiles in air defense systemssuch as the Patriot PAC-3, THAAD and SM-3 Block IIA. The most expensive of them – SM-3 – cost approximately USD 14 million. per piece.
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Iran has carried out hundreds of attacks in the region, mainly using Shahed-136 drones and ballistic missiles. Although, according to estimates, over 90 percent of them were shot down, the intensive use of interceptor missiles raises concerns about the rapid depletion of supplies. There are even suggestions that it may be necessary to move some weapons from the Indo-Pacific region.
At the same time, the military operation in the air includes airborne the use of cheaper and more numerous weapons, such as LUCAS drones (an equivalent of Iran's Shahed-136) or JDAM sets – classic “dumb” bombs equipped with precise guidance modules.
JDAMs cost around 25,000. dollars per unit, and the USA has a stock of over 500,000. such sets. Their use is possible provided that full air superiority is achieved and the threat from the enemy's anti-aircraft defense is eliminated.
