Aug. 8 (UPI) — The Defense Department is pressuring U.S. military contractors to produce weapons and munitions “significantly faster” as the country’s stockpile dwindles due to the Iran war, it was reported Saturday.<\/p>\n
In a memo obtained by The Washington Post<\/a>, the Pentagon told industry leaders to “drive significantly faster, more aggressive delivery schedules and\/or increased production for critical capabilities.”<\/p>\n Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg said contractors have 21 days to submit plans on how they plan to achieve that.<\/p>\n “Years-long development cycles are not acceptable,” Feinberg wrote in the Wednesday memo obtained by The Post. “We must dramatically accelerate our program schedules and expand our production capacity now.”<\/p>\n Multiple news outlets reported this week<\/a> that the United States had depleted much of its stockpile of long-range precision missiles in Iran.<\/p>\n In just the first month of the conflict, the military launched more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles, alarming some Pentagon officials, The Post reported.<\/p>\n Officials have said the U.S. military has been launching the missiles faster than manufacturers can replace them<\/a>.<\/p>\n President Donald Trump on Thursday dismissed the reports, saying the United States has “massive amounts” of munitions.<\/p>\n “Additionally, large amounts are being manufactured and shipped to the U.S. as needed,” he wrote on Truth Social<\/a>. Defense companies are building the largest number of plants and factories in our country’s history.”<\/p>\n “The ‘leakers’ of these treasonous statements are being hunted down,” Trump added. “Long-term jail sentences will be sought!”<\/p>\n Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the military “has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the president’s choosing.”<\/p>\n