Overview
- The United States told Japan in May 2026 that deliveries of 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles ordered in 2024 may be delayed, with the first batch slated for April 2028 possibly pushed back by up to two years as US forces replenish their stocks.
- Reporting says US operations against Iran expended more than 850 Tomahawks in the conflict’s early phase, creating urgent demand that has reduced available supply for allied orders.
- RTX Corporation, the Tomahawk manufacturer, faces limited production capacity and cannot immediately scale output, so US priority restocking orders will slow deliveries to partners such as Japan.
- Japanese officials and analysts warn the delay will leave a gap in Tokyo’s planned counterstrike capability and could accelerate efforts to build domestic production or secure licensed manufacturing of long-range strike munitions.
- Beyond Japan, the stockpile shortfall raises regional readiness concerns by shrinking allied missile reserves during possible simultaneous crises in the Taiwan Strait or on the Korean Peninsula and may prompt shifts in policy and defense industrial planning.