On August 9, 2026, the U.S. Department of Defense shifted to emergency measures in its engagement with the defense industrial base. Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg sent a directive to the heads of major defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin, RTX, and Northrop Grumman, as well as a number of tech startups, with a strict requirement to accelerate production rates.

Feinberg's Directive: 21 Days for an Acceleration Plan

According to a document published by The Washington Post, companies have been given an ultimatum: within 21 days, they must present detailed schedules for significantly accelerating deliveries and plans to expand production capacity for critical components. In the letter, Feinberg explicitly stated that multi-year development cycles are unacceptable under current conditions, demanding immediate scaling of production.

Scale of Arsenal Depletion

The urgency of the demands is driven by data on the critical reduction of high-tech ammunition stockpiles during the ongoing five-month conflict with Iran. A classified analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), cited by the press, records the following figures:

  • Patriot Missiles (PAC-3): The U.S. global stockpile has decreased by more than 65%. If there were between 2,200 and 2,330 units in storage before the conflict began, by August 9, 2026, the number had dropped below 827.
  • THAAD Interceptors: Stockpiles of the ballistic missile defense system have shrunk from 453 units to fewer than 278.
  • Tomahawk Cruise Missiles: More than 850 units were fired during the initial phase of the conflict alone.
  • Tactical Ballistic Missiles: Consumption exceeded 1,300 units.

Such a rate of resource consumption threatens the U.S. ability to ensure defense capabilities in other key regions, including Europe and the Indo-Pacific theater of operations.

Budgetary Deadlock and Political Context

Attempts by the Pentagon to put the defense industry on "war footing" are facing legislative hurdles. President Donald Trump's administration is demanding that Congress increase the military budget from the current $900 billion to $1.5 trillion to cover war expenses. Currently, the bill is blocked due to Congress members' outrage over the scale of the proposed spending. Defense Minister Pete Hegseth confirmed that direct costs for the conflict with Iran have already reached $37.5 billion.

Contradictory Data

There is a discrepancy between the administration's public statements and internal Pentagon directives. President Trump, in a public address, stated that "the U.S. still has more ammunition than anyone else in the world," attempting to downplay the panic. However, according to press sources, behind closed doors, he demanded strict explanations from Pentagon leadership regarding the shortage. Meanwhile, to urgently fix the situation, the Pentagon has already signed a framework contract with Lockheed Martin for $58.6 billion aimed at tripling the production of missiles for Patriot systems by 2030. Feinberg's letter with the 21-day deadline is viewed as an attempt to force factories to operate at maximum capacity without waiting for final budget approval from Congress.