Pentagon signs deals with defense firms to stockpile cheap missiles

U.S. military planners have for several years flagged concerns about the adequacy of precision munitions stockpiles in a high-intensity conflict. The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East accelerated that reckoning, as guided weapons were consumed faster than existing industrial capacity could replenish them. The Pentagon's interest in cheaper, containerized, and more rapidly manufacturable missiles reflects a deliberate effort to reduce dependence on a small number of large legacy contractors and lower per-unit costs. Containerized missile systems, which can be deployed from ships, vehicles, or fixed positions with minimal infrastructure, have drawn attention as a more scalable alternative to platform-specific munitions.