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Japan's Missiles Delayed
Japan's Tomahawk order is facing delays as the war with Iran strained US inventories.
“Bloomberg, citing informed sources, said the United States has informed Japan of delaying the delivery of about 400 Tomahawk missiles”
More than 850 missiles were fired in four weeks, exceeding the 2003 Iraq record of 802.
The US consumed more than two years of production in the war.
The delay affects Tokyo's core deterrence strategy against China.
US Stockpiles Severely Depleted
The US had about 4,000 Tomahawks including older models before the war.
RTX produced about 100 new missiles in 2025, and 240 were upgraded to Block V.
The Financial Times reported over 11,200 rounds used costing $26 billion in 16 days.
Strategic Tradeoffs Exposed
The Iran war diverts resources away from strategic priorities in the Indo-Pacific.
“It is unclear whether there is a risk the US would miss the overall March 2028 deadline”
Japan's Defense Minister Koizumi had phone calls with US War Secretary Hegseth.
The Royal United Services Institute warned the US faces supply chain challenges that could take years to resolve.