The Pentagon is pushing defense contractors to build missiles faster and at a fraction of current costs as U.S. military stockpiles come under pressure from ongoing conflicts and growing global threats, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday night.
Military leaders and lawmakers have increasingly warned that the United States cannot replenish key weapons systems quickly enough to deter adversaries or sustain future military operations, according to the report.
The concern has intensified as U.S. forces have expended large quantities of munitions in the conflict with Iran.
To address the problem, the Pentagon is using new contracting methods and encouraging defense companies to develop lower-cost missiles that can be produced more rapidly.
One Army initiative, known as the Low-Cost Containerized Missiles Program, aims to field thousands of missiles launched from mobile container systems. The Army's goal is to keep the cost of each missile below $500,000.
Another Army effort seeks air-defense interceptors priced below $250,000 each. By comparison, Lockheed Martin's newest Patriot interceptors cost roughly $4 million apiece and can take more than two years to manufacture.
The Air Force is pursuing a similar strategy, seeking to acquire tens of thousands of lower-cost missiles in the coming years.
Military officials say the lower-cost weapons are not intended to replace advanced systems produced by defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin and RTX. Instead, they are designed to supplement existing arsenals and expand production capacity for future conflicts.
The move reflects growing frustration within Washington over years of delays and cost overruns that have plagued major weapons programs. Pentagon officials and industry experts say advanced missiles have become increasingly expensive as contractors add sophisticated electronics and countermeasure technologies.
President Donald Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth have pledged to closely scrutinize defense contractors and hold companies accountable for poor performance. Both have called for greater efficiency and lower costs across the defense-industrial base.
Government watchdogs and lawmakers from both parties have also raised concerns about contractor pricing practices, arguing that stronger oversight is needed to prevent waste and abuse.
According to the Journal, the United States has fired more than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles during operations against Iran this year, at a cost exceeding $2.5 billion.
Analysts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimate that each Tomahawk takes at least a year to produce, highlighting the challenges facing the Pentagon as it seeks to rebuild its arsenal while preparing for future threats.