Could the U.S. Run Out of Advanced Weapons?

CBS News contributor Elliot Ackerman joins the network to discuss whether the United States could deplete advanced weapons faster than the defense industry can replace them as military operations against Iran continue.

Ackerman explains that systems such as Tomahawk missiles and Patriot interceptors can take years to replenish. Every weapon used in the Middle East may therefore affect American military readiness elsewhere, including the Indo-Pacific and any future confrontation involving China.

Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Regional Strategy

The conversation also examines proposals involving Saudi uranium enrichment, the Abraham Accords, and the broader contradiction of opposing a nuclear-armed Iran while considering expanded nuclear capabilities for another regional power.

Pain, Time, and the Course of the War

Ackerman describes the conflict through two variables: pain and time. Houthi attacks, shipping disruptions, rising oil prices, domestic political pressure, and military attrition all shape how long each side can sustain the war and what outcome leaders can present as strategically credible.

Originally aired on CBS News on July 24, 2026.