Pentagon orders faster weapons production as US stockpile concerns grow amid Iran war

The Pentagon has urged US defence contractors to accelerate weapons production amid concerns over dwindling military stockpiles as the war with Iran continues.

Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg issued a memo on Wednesday giving industry leaders 21 days to submit proposals to “drive significantly faster, more aggressive delivery schedules and/or increased production for critical capabilities,” according to CNN.

The memo was first reported by the Washington Post and comes amid growing scrutiny of US weapons supplies during the ongoing conflict.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed the directive to CNN, saying the plans would help shape the Defense Department's fiscal year 2028 budget request.

“The August 5 memo is real. It will inform the fiscal year 2028 budget submitted to Congress for funding, and it is entirely consistent with our ongoing push to rebuild the defense industrial base,” Parnell told CNN.

Parnell said working directly with defence companies was “not new” and defended the Pentagon's effort to accelerate weapons manufacturing.

He said Feinberg was working to reform what he described as a “broken, antiquated, and immensely complex acquisitions system” to ensure the US military can produce weapons “at the pace the threat demands.”