According to a study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the United States has sent so many of its Javelin anti-tank missiles that its reserves are running out to be used by its forces.
According to a report from Mark Cancian, senior adviser for the International Security Program at CSIS, equipping the US stockpile with new weapons will take years.
What is Javelin? It is a shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missile developed by the giant US defense companies Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. The missile is known as a “fire and forget” weapon, meaning it guides itself to its target after launch, allowing its operator to hide and avoid counterattack.
Use in Ukraine: Ukrainian forces used it to devastating effect on Russian tanks, negating what before the war was perceived as an overwhelming Russian advantage.
It could also be very useful to U.S. forces in any unforeseen conflict, but Cancian said the Pentagon needs to watch for a drop in its stockpile.
“Military planners are worried,” he wrote.
“The United States maintains a stockpile for a range of possible global conflicts against North Korea, Iran, or Russia itself. At some point, that stockpile will be low enough that military planners will question whether war plans are workable. The United States is likely getting close to that point.”
Cancian estimates there may be 20,000 to 25,000 Javelins left in stock and 7,000 systems sent to Ukraine “accounting for about a third of total US inventory.”
“It will take about three or four years to replace the missiles that have been delivered so far. If the United States delivers more missiles to Ukraine, this replacement period will be extended,” Cancian said.
Some context: A senior US defense official said wednesday The massive arms shipments to Ukraine, including thousands of Javelin anti-armor missiles and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, did not affect the readiness of US forces.
