Why the Pentagon wants to double missile production for a potential China conflict

USA to double missile production

The Pentagon worries about the precision arsenal that is already stockpiled and how quickly they would be depleted in event of war with China. The military strategists argue that America needs to double or even quadruple production rates of missiles to achieve credible deterrence. The fear is not a fantasy: in war games conducted, PAC-3 interceptors, long-range ships-for-intercepting missiles, and guided rockets have proved to deplete themselves within weeks, leaving the US vulnerable, the Wall Street Journal reported

Meetings with industry leaders

To accelerate production sooner, senior Pentagon leaders, including US Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, have been holding high-stakes meetings with Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Anduril, and other contractors' executives. A new organization called the Munitions Acceleration Council was established to make decisions simpler, with some executives being summoned by Feinberg personally on a weekly basis. A roundtable was convened by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine in June, urging companies to raise capacity immediately.

Supply chain and production issues

Though the deadline looms, business experts caution that acceleration is not simple. One missile can take two years to produce, with vital components like rocket fuel and specialty batteries in short supply. New suppliers must undergo expensive qualification testing to become a bet on using them on the battlefield. Even with simplified clearance, analysts say it could take years before production lines crank up to the levels the Pentagon envisions.
Funding shortages

The newly signed Trump administration's "Big, Beautiful Bill" had $25 billion for ammunition over five years. But defence officials report this is short of tens of billions more to meet Pentagon goals. Contractors will not construct out facilities or recruit thousands of skilled workers without assurances of long-term purchase orders, fearing political shifts can cut back on demand once the instant crisis has passed.

Strategic implications

The pressure to produce more missiles is a symptom of broader anxieties about US-China rivalry. Beijing has been adding to its missile stockpiles at a rapid rate, especially systems that might target US aircraft carriers and Pacific bases. Washington's new policy now depends on demonstrating deterrence as well as demonstrating that it cannot be outpaced in a long war. In the meantime, rushed production is accompanied by cost overruns, supply bottlenecks, and quality collapse risks.

The uncertain road ahead

At least temporarily, the Pentagon is relying on closer collaboration with industry, faster contracting, and political pressure to overcome the challenges. But the raw scale of what is being tried — doubling or quadrupling missile production over a few years — is unprecedented in peacetime. If it works, it would be the most breathtaking US munitions production expansion since the Cold War. Otherwise, it will emphasize the limitations of America's capacity to rearm rapidly in the wake of a growing competitor.