The United States military is facing a severe shortage of advanced missile interceptors in Europe, largely as a result of the ongoing war with Iran, according to US and NATO officials.
The officials said the most serious shortage involves Patriot missile interceptors, which are designed to defend against high-speed ballistic missiles, including those used by Russia.
The shortage has raised concerns about NATO’s ability to respond to a potential Russian missile attack against European member states. A US defence official said American forces in Europe do not have enough Patriot systems to defend against a sustained ballistic missile assault.
US missile stocks stationed in Europe have increasingly been transferred to the Middle East, where American and Gulf forces have used large numbers of interceptors to defend against Iranian drones and missiles.
The officials, who spoke anonymously because they were discussing sensitive military information, said NATO’s current stockpile could leave parts of Europe vulnerable if Russia launched a major ballistic missile attack.
However, US officials stressed that a Russian attack on NATO countries is not considered imminent. European and NATO officials have warned that Russia could potentially be capable of attacking alliance countries by 2030, while US and European missile-interceptor stocks are expected to recover by then.
The ongoing war in Ukraine could also limit Russia’s ability to launch a large-scale attack against Europe, as Moscow would face the challenge of conducting military operations on multiple fronts.
The situation highlights the wider consequences of the Iran conflict for US and NATO military readiness, particularly as American forces continue using air-defence missiles to protect troops and allies in the Middle East.
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