Overview
- Reports Friday said U.S. forces have launched more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles in four weeks, with some officials warning stocks in the Middle East are alarmingly low and nearing Winchester, military slang for out of ammo.
- The Pentagon and the White House publicly reject claims of a shortage, saying the military has what it needs to meet President Trump’s goals for Operation Epic Fury.
- Tomahawks are ship- and submarine-launched missiles that can strike from more than 1,000 miles without risking pilots, and roughly 400 were fired in the operation’s first 72 hours.
- Production has not kept pace with use, with only 57 procured last year and RTX moving under new agreements to raise annual output toward 1,000 over several years, which analysts say still means a years-long rebuild.
- Officials are weighing shifts of missiles from other theaters such as the Indo-Pacific, and the U.S. has opened an inquiry into a reported strike near an elementary school in Minab, highlighting civilian risks in long-range strike campaigns.