Pentagon Announces Contract with Raytheon to Accelerate Production of Interceptor Missiles

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The Pentagon announced on Thursday that it has awarded the American defense contractor Raytheon a contract worth $24.4 billion to accelerate the production of SM-6 interceptor missiles, in an effort to replenish U.S. Army ammunition stocks that have been depleted during the war with Iran.

The Pentagon stated in a statement that these missiles are "vital munitions against aerial and surface targets," and that the agreement, which spans five years with the possibility of a two-year extension, "will accelerate the production pace."

The statement added that the deal "provides defense industries with the necessary long-term predictability to expand workforce capabilities and secure vital supply chains."

President Donald Trump has so far ignored questions regarding the significant depletion of U.S. ammunition stocks due to the war waged by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28.

Last month, the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Defense stated that "the consumption of munitions in Operation Epic Fury has led to a shortage in strategic stockpiles and revealed a slowdown in the replenishment of munitions," using the official name of the operation against Iran.

A report issued by the Congressional Budget Office on September 15 indicated the damage to missile defense supplies that would "leave the United States with a reduced stock of interceptors for several years."

Tehran continues to disrupt navigation in the strategic Strait of Hormuz more than seven months after U.S. and Israeli attacks against it, while Washington imposes a blockade on Iranian ports.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump informed his aides that he expects to resume bombing Iran by late November, a step that could pave the way for Iranian military responses and further consumption of U.S. munitions.