Former Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Admiral Mike Mullen, has addressed concerns about American missile stockpiles amid the ongoing war with Iran, warning that the current pace of weapons use could quickly deplete strategic reserves.
In an interview on Friday with CNN presenter Christiane Amanpour, Mullen said the issue of US missile stockpiles has been a concern for years.
He explained that the matter had been under close scrutiny since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022.
“The issue of missile stockpiles has been at the forefront since the war in Ukraine began in 2022. We used a large number of these missiles when we were defending the Red Sea against the Houthis who were attacking ships there,” Mullen said.
He added, “But I simply do not have a clear idea of the actual size of the current stockpile.”
Concerns Over Strategic Reserves
Mullen noted that current US leadership likely has precise assessments of these stockpiles.
“I am sure the current president and military leadership have an accurate understanding of the numbers, and they will certainly act accordingly,” he said.
He also pointed out that producing these missiles is not a rapid process.
“These missile production lines cannot be ramped up very quickly. We have significantly increased production over the past few years,” Mullen explained.
However, he warned that the rate at which missiles are being used could lead to rapid depletion.
“If what I have read about the number of targets we attacked and the number of missiles used is accurate, and frankly considering what Iran has also used in terms of missiles and drones, the depletion is happening very quickly,” he said.
Time as Part of Iran’s Strategy
Mullen suggested that time itself could form part of Iran’s broader strategy.
“How long will this continue? I think that is part of Iran’s strategy. The question is whether they can endure longer than we can,” he said.
He concluded by referring to a well known saying often cited in discussions about the region.
“There is a famous saying in the Middle East: you have the watches, but we have the time. I think Iran simply needs to endure rather than win outright, and clearly missile stockpiles play a major role in that equation.”
Mounting Military Costs
Reports indicate that US military operations in recent years have consumed a significant portion of its arsenal. These operations include involvement linked to Israel’s war on Gaza, during which the United States deployed artillery systems, anti tank missiles, and various types of advanced munitions.
In the same context, a US congressional official revealed that preliminary estimates from the Pentagon place the cost of the ongoing war against Iran at approximately one billion dollars per day, according to a report by The Atlantic.
With the United States now engaged in direct confrontation with Iran, the rate at which these strategic stockpiles are being used continues to rise. Media reports have warned that prolonged conflict could lead to their rapid depletion.
Growing Warnings From Defence Analysts
The British newspaper The Times also warned that the current war is extremely costly even for the massive US defence budget, which is estimated to reach around one trillion dollars in 2026.
According to the report, one of the greatest concerns among military planners is maintaining sufficient reserves of advanced weaponry to sustain a short or medium term war without jeopardising strategic stockpiles.
Based on these estimates, a conflict lasting four to five weeks, a timeframe mentioned by US President Donald Trump, could exhaust certain core systems relied upon in military operations.
Escalating Regional Conflict
These concerns come amid ongoing military escalation. Since Saturday morning, the United States and the Israeli occupation have launched military strikes against Iran that reportedly resulted in the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with several military and security officials, in addition to civilian casualties.
Tehran has responded by launching waves of missiles and drones toward the occupied territories, while also targeting what it describes as American bases and interests in several Gulf countries.
Some of these attacks have caused damage to civilian infrastructure, including airports, ports, and other facilities.
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