According to a study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the United States has sent many of its anti-tank missiles to Ukraine, so that its stocks are running low for potential use by its own forces.
It will take years to replenish the US stockpile with new weapons, reports Mark Cansian, a senior adviser to the International Security Program at CSIS.
What is Javelin? It is a shoulder-to-shoulder anti-armor missile developed by American defense giants Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. The missile is a so-called “fire and forget” weapon, meaning that it directs its target after launch, allowing its operator to take cover and avoid counterfire.
Use in Ukraine: The Ukrainian military has used it to disastrous effect against Russian tanks, which before the war were considered an overwhelming Russian advantage.
It could also be very useful to the US military in any unexpected conflict, but Cansian said the Pentagon needs to keep an eye on the decline in its shares.
“Military planners are probably panicking,” he wrote.
“The United States holds stocks for various potential global conflicts that could take place against North Korea, Iran, or Russia. At some point, those stocks will become so low that military planners will question whether the war plan can be executed. The United States is likely to reach that point.”
Cancian estimates that there may be 20,000 to 25,000 spears remaining in the stockpile and that the 7,000 systems shipped to Ukraine “represent about a third of America’s total 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 time extends to change,” Cancian said.
Some references: a senior US defense official said on Wednesday The massive shipment of weapons to Ukraine, including thousands of Javelin anti-armor missiles and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, has not affected the preparedness of the US military.