WSJ: US may need years to replenish weapons sent to Ukraine

It will take the United States several years to replenish the weapons stockpiles depleted by military aid to Ukraine, said former Pentagon adviser Dan Caldwell.

Caldwell said restoring the inventory could take more than four years, given the current pace of U.S. defence manufacturing, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Wall Street Journal.

“At present production rates, it will take years to replace what has been sent to Ukraine, including over 3,000 Stinger missiles and millions of artillery shells,” he said.

Caldwell also recalled that Washington recently carried out the largest-ever Patriot missile salvo in U.S. history, aimed at defending American troops in Qatar during Iran’s retaliatory strikes.

“Considering the risk of renewed conflict in the Middle East and growing concerns about China — which possesses far more missile and air power than Iran — it would be foolish to continue giving away more of this critical weaponry,” the article concludes.

The depletion of U.S. weapons stockpiles due to military aid to Ukraine stems from the intense and prolonged conflict following Russia’s invasion in February 2022. The U.S. has been a primary supplier of military equipment to Ukraine, committing over $76.6 billion in military aid as of April 2025, including advanced systems like Patriot air defence missiles, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, Javelin anti-tank missiles, HIMARS rocket systems, and millions of 155mm artillery shells.

By Khagan Isayev