US Delays Weapons to 8 Allies as Iran War Drains More Than 1,000 Tomahawks
Updated
Updated · Breaking Defense · Jun 4
US Delays Weapons to 8 Allies as Iran War Drains More Than 1,000 Tomahawks
2 articles · Updated · Breaking Defense · Jun 4
Summary
Washington has quietly warned allies including Taiwan, Japan, the UK, Poland, Norway, Estonia, Lithuania and Switzerland that some US weapons deliveries will slow as the Pentagon rebuilds depleted stocks.
More than 1,000 Tomahawks and 1,060-1,430 Patriot rounds were expended in Operation Epic Fury, according to CSIS, with some inventories not expected to recover until 2029-2031 despite plans to expand production.
The delays hit even as foreign military sales approvals run at a record pace in 2026, including 25 deals worth $28.6 billion for Europe and 25 worth $19.9 billion for Asia.
Trump's February order to weigh national production needs and prioritize some buyers, plus $8.6 billion in emergency sales to Middle East partners, has raised fears that delivery queues could be reshuffled.
Analysts say demand for US arms remains strong for now, but repeated delays are pushing some countries to examine alternatives, with Denmark's late-2025 choice of SAMP/T over Patriot cited as an early warning sign.
As US arms deliveries falter, can Europe truly build a military capable of defending itself?
Is the US sacrificing long-term global influence for its own short-term military readiness?
U.S. Weapons Delivery Crisis 2026: Iran War Depletes Stockpiles, Erodes Allied Trust, and Accelerates European Defense Autonomy
Overview
As of June 2026, the United States is struggling to deliver weapons to its European allies due to a severe shortage of munitions. This shortage is driven by America’s urgent need to support its own military operations, especially in the Middle East and Iran. The problem has grown worse over time, as earlier conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022 and Israel’s war in Gaza in 2023 already strained U.S. supplies. Now, with continued involvement in Iran, the U.S. faces even greater depletion, leaving allies feeling vulnerable and forcing them to rethink their reliance on American support.