What Happened
Defense Department Adapts to New Way of War with Mass-Produced Munitions
The Pentagon is adapting to the new way of war by embracing cheap, mass-producible munitions, a shift driven by lessons from the Ukraine war and the challenge from China. The Defense Department is requesting munitions that cost under $600,000 apiece, a significant reduction from previous systems, with the goal of rebuilding depleted stockpiles. The Air Force and Navy are planning to procure thousands of cruise missiles and low-cost hypersonic strike missiles, with contracts already signed with companies like Anduril and Castelion. The shift in strategy was reported by The Washington Post.