U.S. Defense Department Seeks to Replenish Depleted Weapons Stocks

The U.S. Defense Department is seeking to replenish stores of weapons and munitions that have dwindled due to recent uses. Many of these supplies were expended in the U.S. military's initial actions against Iran, while commitments to other countries, including Ukraine, have also contributed to the depletion.

This has led to orders worth billions of dollars from the Pentagon to defense contractors.

For 2026, Congress allocated $901 billion to the Defense Department. Earlier this year, a budget request was submitted for 2027 defense spending amounting to $1.5 trillion, representing a 40% increase. This sum includes tens of billions for new ships and jets, as well as $18 billion for a missile defense system announced last year.

The budget was finalized before the conflict with Iran began, and as the war extended, costs increased. Last month, the Pentagon reportedly requested an additional $200 billion in funding from the White House. A study by the Quincy Institute and Brown University found that between 2020 and 2024, 54% of the Pentagon's $4.4 trillion budget, or about $2.4 trillion, went to military contractors.

The five largest defense firms—Lockheed Martin, RTX, Boeing, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman—received $771 billion during that period. During the current administration, these companies have signed deals to resupply military stocks. Last month, defense executives met with administration officials to discuss quadrupling production targets.

U.S. defense firms report hundreds of billions in order backlogs for items such as Patriot interceptor missiles and F-35 fighter jets. RTX ended 2025 with $107 billion in defense-specific backlogs, while Lockheed Martin reported $194 billion in expected orders.