Pentagon urges missile makers to double output amid fears of potential conflict with China: Report

The Pentagon has asked US missile manufacturers to significantly ramp up production of 12 critical weapon systems amid growing concerns over a potential future conflict with China, according to The Wall Street Journal report, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The call to “double or even quadruple” the production at a “breakneck schedule” came citing concerns over the low ammunition stockpiles the US for a “potential future conflict with China.”

According to the report, the Pentagon’s push to rapidly scale up missile production has involved a series of high-level meetings between senior defence officials and top executives from major US defence contractors.

Deputy Defence Secretary Steve Feinberg is leading the initiative through the newly formed Munitions Acceleration Council. He is reportedly holding weekly calls with industry leaders to monitor and drive progress on an expedited production schedule, added the report.

The Pentagon is seeking a 2.5-fold increase in the output of key missile systems over the next 6, 18, and 24 months.

The systems targeted for ramped-up production include Patriot interceptors, Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM), Standard Missile-6 (SM-6), Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), and Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM).

Notably, the Department of Defence aims to produce nearly 2,000 Patriot missiles annually — roughly four times the current production rate. To support this goal, Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract worth nearly $10 billion in September to manufacture PAC-3 missiles for fiscal years 2024 through 2026.

A report released earlier this year by defence analytics firm Govini raised serious concerns about the United States’ ability to sustain a prolonged conflict with China, citing deep reliance on Chinese supply chains for critical defense systems.

The report revealed that in 2024, Chinese companies made up 9.3% of Tier 1 suppliers across nine key US defence sectors, including aviation, maritime, nuclear, missile defense, and space technology.

The dependence was especially pronounced in missile defence, where 11.1% of top-tier suppliers were Chinese, and in the nuclear sector, where the figure stood at 7.8%.

Govini’s analysis found that Chinese firms are supplying nearly 10% of essential components for major US defence programmes, including those related to missile defense systems, nuclear capabilities, and space assets.

The report emphasises growing concerns in Washington over the risks posed by this supply chain vulnerability, particularly in the event of a conflict with China.

With inputs from agencies