WASHINGTON — A new report by the Pentagon’s Inspector General acknowledged that the US war in Iran has caused ammunition shortfalls and supply-chain bottlenecks, raising questions about America’s ability to sustain a prolonged war.The report, covering February 28 through June 30, details billions of dollars in expended munitions, equipment losses and other military expenditures. It also documents damage to US aircraft, military assets and facilities across the Middle East.The “munitions expenditure in [Operation Epic Fury] has resulted in strategic inventory shortfalls and revealed industrial base bottlenecks for munitions resupply,” including the building of solid rocket motors, explosives and propellants, the report stated.The report also detailed losses of military equipment, including four F-15 fighter jets destroyed, one F-35 damaged and seven KC-135 tanker aircraft damaged or destroyed, five of them after being struck by Iranian munitions while on the ground. Up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones, which cost around $30 million (€26 million) each, were also destroyed.The Defense Department is “working to streamline procurement processes and production lead times, and to stockpile critical materials, components, and selected munitions to respond rapidly to a contingency,” the report stated.Experts have estimated it could take around three years to restore stocks of advanced missiles and defensive interceptors to pre-war levels.The information was provided by the Defense Department in written responses sent to the Inspector General on Aug. 26, according to the report.The Defense Department estimated the cost of the war to be $33.4 billion as of June 29, according to the report. The estimate included $7.4 billion of cumulative obligations, $22.3 billion for expended munitions and $3.7 billion in equipment losses, it said.US Central Command reported that Iranian strikes “damaged and destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures” at US bases in the Middle East, according to the report.US diplomatic facilities in the region have also suffered $184 million in damage from Iranian strikes, the report said.WASHINGTON — A new report by the Pentagon’s Inspector General acknowledged that the US war in Iran has caused ammunition shortfalls and supply-chain bottlenecks, raising questions about America’s ability to sustain a prolonged war.The report, covering February 28 through June 30, details billions of dollars in expended munitions, equipment losses and other military expenditures. It also documents damage to US aircraft, military assets and facilities across the Middle East.The “munitions expenditure in [Operation Epic Fury] has resulted in strategic inventory shortfalls and revealed industrial base bottlenecks for munitions resupply,” including the building of solid rocket motors, explosives and propellants, the report stated.The report also detailed losses of military equipment, including four F-15 fighter jets destroyed, one F-35 damaged and seven KC-135 tanker aircraft damaged or destroyed, five of them after being struck by Iranian munitions while on the ground. Up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones, which cost around $30 million (€26 million) each, were also destroyed.The Defense Department is “working to streamline procurement processes and production lead times, and to stockpile critical materials, components, and selected munitions to respond rapidly to a contingency,” the report stated.Experts have estimated it could take around three years to restore stocks of advanced missiles and defensive interceptors to pre-war levels.The information was provided by the Defense Department in written responses sent to the Inspector General on Aug. 26, according to the report.The Defense Department estimated the cost of the war to be $33.4 billion as of June 29, according to the report. The estimate included $7.4 billion of cumulative obligations, $22.3 billion for expended munitions and $3.7 billion in equipment losses, it said.US Central Command reported that Iranian strikes “damaged and destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures” at US bases in the Middle East, according to the report.US diplomatic facilities in the region have also suffered $184 million in damage from Iranian strikes, the report said.
