Diminished stockpiles may force US, allies to take more risks to conserve interceptors: Analysis

Renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran has expended more of America’s already dwindling stockpiles of advanced missile interceptors, potentially putting the country’s forces at risk should the Trump administration return to full-scale war, according to a new analysis.

The number of Patriot interceptors, which was at 2,330 before the war, was more than halved by the time Washington and Tehran agreed to a ceasefire in April but was brought even lower in recent fighting. The stockpile is now estimated to comprise between 759 and 827 interceptors, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) revealed in an analysis based on budget documents and other publicly released information.

The number of THAAD interceptors, meanwhile, was only at 452 before the war but now is between 234 and 278, a 38 percent hit. 

The shrinking inventories “may force the United States and its coalition partners to take more risks with interceptions,” according to the CSIS analysis released Monday. 

“There are no good........

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