"Silicon Valley must address weapons shortage in the United States"

Due to the protracted war with Iran, U.S. stocks of Patriot and THAAD missiles are rapidly dwindling. The Pentagon is therefore pinning its hopes on Silicon Valley defense startups, as traditional suppliers such as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are unable to ramp up production. 

In late June, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth summoned about fifteen executives from companies such as Shield AI, Anduril, CoAspire, and Castelion with a clear message: “Find a solution.”

According to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the stockpile of Patriot missiles—which stood at approximately 2,200–2,330 interceptors before the war—has fallen to just 759–827 units. The stockpile of THAAD missiles, meanwhile, has decreased from 452 to 234–278 units. It would take three years, or even longer, to replenish these stockpiles to the desired level, given current production capacity.

The underlying dynamic is striking: Iranian missiles cost about half a million euros, while a Patriot interceptor costs about 3.2 million euros. “On average, it takes three Patriots to shoot down an Iranian missile,” explains military expert Roger Housen in Het Nieuwsblad.“Iranian drones are even cheaper, costing between roughly 130,000 and 170,000 euros. Shooting down a swarm of these drones represents a considerable loss,” he continues.

A look at startups

A Pentagon spokesperson confirmed to Nampa that the department isn’t limiting itself to traditional defense giants. “We want to transform the military so that it fights, buys, and builds by drawing on the creativity and dynamism of American innovation.” Startups must design cheaper and smarter systems, while delivering them quickly. But scaling up remains a major obstacle for now. Bryon Hargis, co-founder of Castelion, acknowledges this pressure. The military has already ordered 500 of its supersonic missiles. “It’s an honor, but also an overwhelming responsibility. The coming years promise to be particularly difficult and fraught with challenges,” he tells Breaking Defense. For Hegseth and the Pentagon, the stakes are clear: without Silicon Valley’s help, the United States risks running out of ammunition in a protracted war.