The Pentagon is seeking more than $3.5 billion to restock weapons and cover related costs following U.S. military operations tied to Israel’s defense, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.
According to budget documents prepared through mid-May, the requested funds would be used to replace munitions expended during recent operations—including at least $1 billion for Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) interceptors produced by Arlington, Virginia-based RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon Technologies)—and to finance routine tasks such as radar maintenance, vessel refurbishment and the transport of arms.
Nearly every item is categorized as an “emergency budget request.”
The plan draws on the 2024 Israeli Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, which provided $14 billion partly to rebuild U.S. stockpiles and fund additional Israeli missile interceptors.
Pentagon filings describe the requests as necessary to offset costs borne by U.S. Central Command in operations conducted “at the request of or in coordination with Israel” against Iranian attacks and proxy threats.
The urgency follows Iran’s April 13, 2024 assault, when Iran fired more than 300 missiles and UAVs directly at Israel, the vast majority of which were intercepted by the air defense systems and jets of Israel, the United States and other friendly militaries.
U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers USS Arleigh Burke and USS The Sullivans, operating in the Eastern Mediterranean, fired RIM-161 SM-3 surface-to-air missiles in defense of Israel, joined by U.S. Army units deploying THAAD interceptors.
The largest line item in the request is about $1 billion to replace SM-3 IB Threat Upgrade missiles, each costing $9-to-$12 million. Another $204 million is sought for Lockheed Martin’s THAAD interceptors, while $9.2 million is requested for maintenance on the THAAD system’s TPY-2 radar after unexpected engine and alternator replacements.
These replenishment efforts are separate from $4.2 billion in U.S. weapons delivered to Israel between October 2023 and May 2024, according to Bloomberg.
