The United States has used up about half of its Tomahawk missile stockpile, while fewer than 800 interceptors remain available for Patriot air defense systems, according to The Sunday Times.

The newspaper links the shortage in part to years of Pentagon spending priorities. Large budgets were directed toward aircraft, ships and other expensive weapons platforms, while substantial ammunition reserves were not built up at the same pace.

The situation is particularly serious for PAC-3 missiles used by Patriot air defense systems. At the beginning of 2022, the United States reportedly had around 3,100 interceptors.

About 600 missiles were later transferred to Ukraine. Hundreds more were used in the Middle East in 2024 and 2025. According to The Sunday Times, another roughly 1,200 interceptors were expended during the 2026 military operation against Iran.

The newspaper estimates that fewer than 800 PAC-3 missiles are now left in US arsenals. Producing a single interceptor takes about two years and costs roughly $4 million.

The Pentagon began expanding PAC-3 production in 2022, but the increase has not been enough to replenish depleted stocks quickly.

The Sunday Times also points to China, which has around 1,200 ballistic missiles. These weapons could be used against US forces in the Pacific region.

The broader problem, according to the report, is the growing gap between ammunition consumption and production. US missile stocks are being depleted significantly faster than the American defense industry can replace them.