US has used more than half of Patriot interceptors in Iran war

The U.S. military's weapons stockpiles of crucial air defense missiles continue to decrease after the major flare-up in the Iran war earlier this month.

Researchers from the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank estimated in a new report released on Monday that the U.S. military has used approximately a third of its Patriot missile interceptors and about half of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense ballistic missile interceptors during the conflict.

The U.S. military had approximately 2,330 Patriot missile interceptors before the war, had roughly 1,030 at the time President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire in early April, and that total is now down to between 759 and 827, according to the report. If the military still has 827 patriot missile interceptors, it means it has used roughly 1,500 of them in the war, or slightly under 65% of their prewar inventory.

The military had approximately 452 THAAD interceptors prior to the war; it had between 232 and 262 at the start of the April ceasefire and has been able to replenish some of the inventory to between roughly 234 and 278 interceptors.