---
title: "Pentagon Signs $21B Contract: Is the US Military Facing a Weapons Shortage?"
description: "The Pentagon signed a $20.7B five-year contract with RTX to double AMRAAM production amid massive arsenal depletion caused by the conflict with Iran."
date: 2026-09-29T15:33:05.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/pentagon-signs-21b-contract-weapons-shortage
tags: [pentagon, usa, raytheon, amraam, tomahawk, patriot]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Pentagon Signs $21B Contract: Is the US Military Facing a Weapons Shortage?

![US-made missile launch during military exercises](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/29/pentagon-zaklyuchil-kontrakt-na-21-mlrd-defitsit-oruzhiya/pentagon-zaklyuchil-kontrakt-na-21-mlrd-defitsit-oruzhiya-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The Pentagon's $20.7 billion contract with RTX spans 5+2 years.
- One-third of Tomahawk stockpiles and half of Patriot systems have been depleted.
- Full recovery of US missile arsenals will take at least three years.

The US Department of Defense has signed a strategic agreement worth $20.7 billion with aerospace and defense giant RTX Corp. (Raytheon division). The five-year deal, with a two-year extension option, provides for a nearly twofold increase in the production of air-to-air missiles, specifically advanced AMRAAMs. The decision comes amid immense pressure on military logistics and supply chains.

### Causes of Shortages and Scale of Expenditures

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), active military operations against Iran have led to a massive depletion of arsenals. In just two months, Washington expended one-third of its available Tomahawk cruise missiles (over 1,000 units) and nearly half of its top-tier Patriot interceptor missiles. Experts point out that current manufacturing rates cannot keep up with the expenditure pace.

### Contradictory Data

While official Pentagon statements emphasize the effectiveness of multi-billion-dollar contracts and defense plants shifting to round-the-clock operations, independent analysts and reports in The Wall Street Journal highlight deep structural problems. Specifically, despite plans to produce up to 1,000 missiles annually, actual factory capacities are limited to about 400 units, and fully replenishing stockpiles will take at least three years.

### Geopolitical Consequences

The rapid consumption of precision-guided munitions poses serious risks to global US security. Analysts warn that depleting stockpiles during the Middle East campaign could weaken Washington's strategic stance in other critical regions, including the Asia-Pacific and Taiwan, where systems like AMRAAM and Patriot air defense act as a vital defensive shield.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Пентагон заключил контракт на $21 млрд: в американской армии начался дефицит оружия? – Zamin.uz, 29.09.2026](https://zamin.uz/ru/mir/222933-pentagon-zaklyuchil-kontrakt-na-21-mlrd-v-amerikanskoy-armii-nachalsya-defitsit-oruzhiya.html) - Опубликованы детали контракта Пентагона и RTX на 20.7 млрд долларов.
- [Компания RTX получила от Пентагона контракт на $21 млрд на ракеты класса "воздух-воздух"](https://www.interfax.ru/world/1119046) - Подтверждено подписание соглашения с Raytheon.
- [Пентагон готовит контракт на сумму более $20 млрд на производство ракет AMRAAM, - Reuters](https://censor.net/ru/news/4025729/rakety-amraam-pentagon-gotovit-kontrakt-na-20-mlrd) - Информация о масштабах заказов подтверждена агентством Reuters.
- [Пентагон заключил с Raytheon контракт до $20,7 млрд на ракеты AMRAAM — Anadolu Agency](https://ua.news/ru/world/pentagon-uklav-z-raytheon-kontrakt-do-20-7-mlrd-na-raketi-amraam-anadolu-agency) - Данные подтверждены агентством Anadolu Agency.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What is the value of the Pentagon's contract with RTX?
**A:** The strategic contract is valued at $20.7 billion.

### Q: Which weapon stockpiles have been most severely depleted?
**A:** According to CSIS, the US has used up one-third of its Tomahawk missiles and nearly half of its Patriot systems.