Pentagon requests $18.2 billion for interceptor missile purchases

The US Department of Defense has requested $18.2 billion from a total emergency funding package of $67 billion for this fiscal year, aiming to replace the latest American Patriot missiles, Tomahawk missiles used by the Navy, and the Army's Thaad interceptor missile.

According to documents reviewed by Bloomberg, details of this previously undisclosed amount include $3.28 billion for three models from the Navy's RTX Standard Missile interceptor family, and $100 million to purchase a secret air-to-air weapon produced by Lockheed Martin called the Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, which has not been used before.

The documents, prepared by the Pentagon and submitted to the Senate and House of Representatives, reflect growing concerns about declining US weapons stockpiles amid the conflict with Iran and the interception of drones and missiles targeting American bases in the region.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated in a briefing to the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 21 that the funding request includes $21 billion to accelerate the purchase of advanced missiles and low-cost munitions not yet acquired, such as the long-range GPS-guided JDAM bomb and low-cost ground-launched container munitions, noting that these munitions account for no more than $3 billion of the total requested funding.

According to Bloomberg, the allocations include $5.75 billion for Lockheed Martin's Thaad interceptor missiles, $5.57 billion for additional models of the company's enhanced Patriot (MSE) missiles—the most advanced version—and $1.9 billion for Standard Missile-6 models for the Navy and Army.