The US Navy will overhaul its torpedo stockpile under a new two-war strategy
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The US Navy is poised to overhaul its torpedo inventory under the newly approved congressional budget as the military shifts to a “two-war” strategy.
Lawmakers have made it clear that the US needs to build enough submarine weapons to sustain two major conflicts at once, according to Naval News.
Manufacturers are now focusing on the production of US MK-48 Advanced Capability (ADCAP) heavyweight torpedoes and MK-54 lightweight torpedoes to meet the basic requirements set by the new budget.
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US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Nikita Custer (US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Class Nikita Custer)
The Navy did not specify the exact number of submarine weapons it could deploy, but based it on internal estimates about possible conflicts with near-peer forces.
The Navy is also required to develop a plan to greatly increase torpedo production if needed in wartime or peacetime.
The overhaul comes as the US military is already scrambling to replenish a stockpile of missiles and other weapons that ended up in the war with Iran.
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A US Navy warship (US Central Command (CENTCOM))
Defending Israel and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar from Iranian attacks during the latest 12-day exchange of strikes cost the US and Israel between $1.48 billion and $1.58 billion, according to a study by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA).
The months-long conflict has burned down a large number of American offensive and defensive missile systems.
The US had about 632 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) launchers before June 13, the day Israel launched its attack on Iran. About 540 interceptors remain in its inventory based on JINSA’s count of interceptor deliveries and deployments, according to the report.
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The US has deployed 14% of its global stockpile of THAAD missile interceptors. America’s THAAD system accounted for nearly half of all interceptions due to the “insufficient” capacity of Israel’s anti-missile system.
U.S. soldiers and civilians view MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems during a static display Aug. 15, 2019, at Katterbach Army Airfield in Ansbach, Germany. (US Army photo by Charles Rosemond)
It would take three to eight years to replenish the THAAD arsenal used in a 12-day war at current production rates.
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Patriot interceptor production is more robust than THAAD, according to the report, but the US is supplying a number of Patriot interceptors to Ukraine. Therefore, it is unclear how many are left in stock.
Fox News’ Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
