Why Is the U.S. Running So Low on Weapons?

The U.S. has rapidly depleted key weapon stocks, including two-thirds of Patriot missile interceptors and a third of THAAD and Tomahawk cruise missiles, in conflicts with Iran. Replenishment will take years, exacerbated by a shift toward cheaper drones forcing reliance on costly air-defense systems. Bipartisan neglect of the military-industrial base over decades has worsened the crisis.