The US Department of Defense’s latest report on the ongoing war in West Asia, released on Monday, has revealed that the intensive use of US munitions during the conflict has resulted in “strategic inventory shortfalls” and exposed “industrial base bottlenecks” that are hampering efforts to replenish weapons.
The assessment has highlighted growing pressure on stocks of advanced missiles and defensive interceptors as the US continues military operations in the region.
The quarterly assessment of operations in Iran under Operation Epic Fury details the conflict’s financial, military and logistical toll through 30 June.
Defence experts have previously estimated that US military contractors could take around three years to restore stocks of some advanced missiles and interceptors to pre-war levels.
While the Pentagon has maintained that the US military retains sufficient capabilities to sustain its operations, the watchdog’s findings underscore the strain the conflict has placed on the country’s defence industrial base.
The war with has cost Washington an estimated $33.4 billion so far, including $22.3 billion spent on weapons and ammunition, according to the Pentagon watchdog.
The US Department of Defense it incurred another $7.4 billion in costs linked to the conflict, while military equipment worth an estimated $3.7 billion was lost, the report said.
The figures in the report cover the period from 28 February to 29 June and do not include the cost of repairing damaged infrastructure.
also inflicted widespread damage on US military facilities across the region, with hundreds of buildings and structures damaged or destroyed at American installations in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan.
The US naval logistics hub in Bahrain was among the facilities targeted by ballistic missiles and drones. The attacks prompted US Central Command to reroute some supply lines through alternative locations, including Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
The report said that diversion of supplies via longer routes compounded the logistical challenges facing US forces deployed across the region.
The conflict also resulted in significant losses of US military hardware, with dozens of American aircraft and drones damaged or destroyed, according to the report.
As many as 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones were lost, with each aircraft valued at roughly $30 million.
Several KC-135 refuelling aircraft were also damaged, including aircraft struck while on the ground in Saudi Arabia.
The losses have added another layer of pressure on US military equipment stocks as Washington continues to maintain operations in the region.
The impact of the conflict extended beyond military installations, with US diplomatic infrastructure also suffering significant damage, said the report.
The State Department previously reported damage to American diplomatic facilities in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The combined property damage was estimated at $184 million.
The financial burden of the conflict has also continued to rise beyond the figures outlined in the Pentagon watchdog’s assessment.
Defense Secretary Pete told Congress in late July that direct military costs had reached $37.5 billion, reported AP. Separately, the State Department reported $113 million in contingency-related expenses, including nearly $80 million spent on the emergency evacuation of about 9,000 US citizens from the region.
Despite pressure on US weapons inventories, the US has continued to approve defence sales to countries across the region.
The watchdog report said the US processed more than $44 billion in emergency and non-emergency defence packages for regional partners, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and Israel.
(With inputs from AP)
