Arms Transfer to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan Emptying US Arsenal Amid Tensions With Russia, China

The US has struggled to maintain robust munitions levels in the decades before the recent wars in the Middle East and Europe. However, the Pentagon’s inventory was not under such intense pressure as it is now, after huge shipment of arms to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. Current geopolitical turmoil and commitment to allies have forced the Pentagon to make crucial risk management assessments. Congressional staffers and former Pentagon officials say the US is dipping below minimum inventory requirements in some cases. Meanwhile, a 2023 study found that the US would run out of long-range, precision-guided munitions in less than a week in a fight with China over Taiwan.