The Pentagon is pressing U.S. defense companies to sharply accelerate weapons production and delivery as the war with Iran continues to deplete American munitions stockpiles, according to a Defense Department memo obtained by The Washington Post. Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg told industry leaders they have 21 days to submit plans for substantially faster delivery schedules and increased production of critical weapons systems.

“Years-long development cycles are not acceptable,” Feinberg wrote. “We must dramatically accelerate our program schedules and expand our production capacity now.” The Pentagon is also asking companies to identify investments and facility expansions that could support higher and sustained order volumes, with Feinberg telling industry leaders to demonstrate their willingness to “put skin in the game.”

The scale of U.S. weapons use during the Iran war has intensified the pressure. The report says that during the first month alone, the U.S. fired more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles and more than 1,000 Patriot and THAAD interceptors, while the Army used more than 1,300 tactical ballistic missiles during the opening weeks of fighting. A CSIS analysis cited in the report estimated that the global Patriot missile inventory fell from roughly 2,200 before the war to fewer than 827, while the THAAD inventory declined from 452 to fewer than 278.

The Pentagon has also been working with both traditional defense contractors and newer Silicon Valley companies. Officials have held meetings with representatives from companies including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Anduril and Palantir, while separate framework agreements have been pursued to expand missile production and acquire lower-cost weapons.

A major obstacle remains funding. Many of the Pentagon’s framework agreements are not final purchase contracts and require congressional appropriations before they can become binding orders. The broader effort is tied to a $1.15 trillion defense spending bill that remains stalled in Congress. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the Feinberg memo and said it is part of an effort to rebuild the U.S. defense industrial base and will help shape the fiscal 2028 budget.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)