Washington (United States) (AFP) - The Pentagon announced on Thursday the award of a $24.4 billion contract to arms manufacturer Raytheon to accelerate production of SM-6 missiles, as Washington works to replace the large amount of munitions used in the war with Iran.

First modification: 02/10/2026 - 19:58

The missiles are a "vital munition for anti-aircraft and anti-surface warfare. This five-year agreement, with two optional additional years, will allow for faster production," the Pentagon said in a statement.

The agreement "provides the defense industry with the long-term predictability needed to expand workforce capacity and secure critical supply chains," he added.

President Donald Trump has so far ignored questions about the heavy impact that the war against Iran has had on American munitions stockpiles, a conflict that the United States and Israel began on February 28.

But the Defense Department's inspector general said last month that "ammunition spending ... has led to strategic inventory shortages and revealed bottlenecks in the industrial base for ammunition replenishment."

Raytheon called its SM-6 missile a "combat-proven weapon" having launched it "successfully from several US Navy shipborne platforms and ground-based launchers," according to a statement released Wednesday.

Tehran continues to control the strategic Strait of Hormuz more than seven months after the initial attacks by the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic, while Washington maintains a blockade on Iranian ports.

Trump has told advisers that he hopes to resume bombing Iran toward the end of November, the Wall Street Journal reported, setting the stage for new Iranian attacks and increased spending on U.S. munitions.

© 2026 AFP

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