US Patriot missile stocks in Europe are 'beyond critical' due to Iran war

The U.S. military faces a "beyond critical" shortage of advanced missile interceptors in Europe, driven largely by the war with Iran, according to a U.S. defense official in Europe and a NATO official, raising concerns about NATO's vulnerability to a Russian attack.

Patriot interceptors, the system capable of downing Russia's high-speed ballistic missiles, are the sharpest shortfall. Both officials, who spoke anonymously, said inventories among American and NATO forces are low. In a sustained Russian ballistic assault on a headquarters or power plant, the U.S. official said NATO could find itself as exposed as Patriot-starved Ukraine, forced to "take punch after punch in the mouth."

The war has consumed 65% of American Patriots, roughly 1,500 of 2,330 interceptors, according to CSIS. Stocks were moved from Europe to the Middle East, where U.S. and Gulf forces have fired heavily against Iranian drones and missiles. Transfers to Ukraine contributed, though analysts describe those as planned and measured, with the Iran conflict as the tipping point.

The Pentagon disputes the account. Spokesman Sean Parnell called shortage claims false, saying the U.S. has everything required to strike at the president's choosing. NATO spokesman Col. Martin O'Donnell said it is "simply not the case" that Patriot numbers are beyond critical.

Europe's first Patriot production facility opens in Germany in September.