Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger warned that global ammunition and air defense system stockpiles are critically low, potentially exhausted within a month.
Ammunition Depletion Across Europe and the Middle East
Armin Papperger noted the immense demand for ammunition and air defense systems. He stated that stockpiles in Europe, the USA, and the Middle East are currently empty or nearly empty.
Rheinmetall Warns of Supply Exhaustion
Papperger assessed that the situation could rapidly deteriorate if military actions continue. “If the war lasts another month, we will practically have no ammunition available,” he stated. The CEO also highlighted the scale of costs associated with countering drone attacks.
Drone Warfare Costs Escalating
Papperger emphasized that with the mass production of drones, the cost ratio between attacks and defense is becoming increasingly unfavorable. Producing tens of thousands of drones at $20-30,000 each is comparatively inexpensive to the cost of intercepting them.
US-Israel Actions Against Iran Fuel Demand
The United States and Israel have been conducting operations against Iran since February 28th, with Iran responding with counterattacks in the region. Israel recently attacked Iran’s South Pars gas field, while Iran retaliated with strikes on energy facilities in the Persian Gulf, including the Ras Laffan complex in Qatar.
Lessons from Ukraine
The entire arms industry has learned lessons from the conflict in Ukraine. While artillery ammunition remains the cheapest option, drones are proving highly effective, particularly due to Russia’s lack of robust anti-drone systems. A combination of all weapon types and defenses is most effective.
Trump’s Middle East Spending Surpasses Ukraine Aid
According to Anne Applebaum, at the current rate of weapons, ammunition, military equipment consumption, and logistical operations, Trump would spend in three months on the Middle East as much as the US spent over three years supporting Ukraine.
