Pentagon Orders Defense Firms to Accelerate Weapons Production

The Pentagon is asking the US defense industry to rapidly increase production of weapons, including munitions that are in short supply because of the war with Iran, according to a Defense Department memo obtained by The Washington Post and confirmed.

The Pentagon is pressing US defense contractors to accelerate weapons and munitions production amid reported shortages.

Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg wrote to industry leaders on Wednesday, giving them no more than 21 days to submit plans to “drive significantly faster, more aggressive delivery schedules and/or increased production for critical capabilities,” according to the memo.

The directive comes as the Pentagon faces shortages of some weapons and munitions following the US military campaign against Iran.

“Years-long development cycles are not acceptable,” Feinberg wrote. “We must dramatically accelerate our program schedules and expand our production capacity now.”

The directive comes amid tensions over weapons availability between President Donald Trump and the Defense Department, according to two people familiar with the issue who spoke to The Washington Post.