WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is urging U.S. defense companies to accelerate weapons production and submit plans to increase output of critical military capabilities, as the United States seeks to replenish munitions stocks, the Defense Department said on Saturday.
Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg gave defense industry leaders 21 days to propose measures that would deliver weapons more quickly and expand production capacity, according to a Pentagon memo obtained by The Washington Post and confirmed by Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell.
Parnell said the department was focused on increasing munitions acquisitions to provide weapons to U.S. forces at the pace required by threats. He said the effort was part of a broader initiative to rebuild the defense industrial base and would help inform the Pentagon's fiscal 2028 budget request.
Feinberg's memo called for significantly faster delivery schedules and increased production of critical capabilities, saying lengthy development cycles were no longer acceptable.
The push comes after months of U.S. military operations against Iran that have increased demand for precision weapons and air-defense interceptors. The Center for Strategic and International Studies has estimated that U.S. inventories of Patriot and THAAD interceptors have fallen substantially from levels before the conflict.
The Pentagon has not publicly disclosed a comprehensive assessment of current munitions inventories. President Donald Trump has said the United States has large quantities of weapons and that additional supplies are being manufactured and shipped as needed.
The Pentagon's request remains focused on accelerating production and expanding industrial capacity, with further details expected as defense companies submit their plans.
