The interception of cruise missiles in the Middle East by US defence assets highlights the importance of missiles and interceptors that the US Navy lacks, according to The Heritage Foundation.
Although the Department of Defence invested in warships that collectively possessed approximately 10,000 Vertical Launch cells (VLS), the military lacked enough ammunition to reload them even once.
By 2023, the US purchased about 12,000 Standard-2 (SM-2) missiles, 400 Standard-3 (SM-3) missiles, 1,500 Standard-6 (SM-6) missiles, and 9,000 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs). Those are the principal VLS-launched weapons.
Over that same time, it has expended at least 2,800 Standard Missiles and 2,900 TLAMs, leaving the US with on-paper maximums of roughly 11,000 missiles in the SM-series, and 6,000 TLAMs—for a total of roughly 17,000 VLS-launched munitions. In other words, the US cannot reload the full complement of VLS even once.
According to The Heritage Foundation, 17,000 missiles significantly exceeds the actual US arsenal.
An unknown number [of missiles] have been used for training, and others lost to attrition and retirement.
One of the reasons that the US is experiencing a shortage of ammunition is that the focus of the US military has been on conducting counter-terrorism operations and missions against states that do not have significant air defence capabilities. This superiority negated the urgent need for standoff munitions. It also led to a historic de-prioritisation of the acquisition of high-end munitions.
Admittedly, the Pentagon is increasingly recognising the need to procure more high-tech munitions and is investing more money in this. However, their procurement requests do not include enough of these munitions.
The Pentagon purchases 125 SM-6s each year since 2017. Meanwhile, only 122, 70 and 68 new Tomahawks were funded in 2021, 2022 and 2023. In fact, the President’s FY 2025 budget request does not include any Tomahawks for the Navy and does not increase the number of SM-6s being procured.
Importance of VLS-launched missiles
Iranian attacks in the Red Sea and against Israel show the importance of a strong missile defence capability. SM missiles shot down approaching threats, preventing some damage to shipping. Without the use of a standard missile, US warships will not be able to provide some security to shipping in the Red Sea because their other weapons do not have sufficient range.
A war with China would almost certainly require larger and more powerful missile and air defences due to the more sophisticated Chinese threat.
If US stocks are depleted, the US Navy will not be able to operate effectively to protect American interests. Aircraft carriers could also become undeployable, as they rely on escort ships armed with VLSs to defend against missiles and other threats.
This would leave the US Navy with only submarines. However, even they would become less effective, as they could only use torpedoes, also in short supply.
The Pentagon and Congress need to propose and approve a multi-year contract for Tomahawk missiles that do not exist today. They also need to expand their multi-year contract for the SM-6.
Only by sending a meaningful signal of industry demand the US can begin to replenish its depleted munitions stockpile and prepare for the challenges ahead.
