850 Fired: The U.S. Military's Tomahawk Crisis Is All About 1 Math Problem That Looks Impossible to Solve

The U.S. has fired approximately 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Iran during Operation Epic Fury — roughly 25% of the estimated 4,000-unit stockpile — in just five weeks of combat. Current production is approximately 90 missiles per year, with the 2026 budget requesting only 57 new units. Each Tomahawk takes up to 2 years to build due to specialized supply chains, single-source components, and solid rocket motor shortages. Raytheon is working to scale production to over 1,000 per year, but the ramp-up will take years. The alternative is cheaper — a JDAM costs $80,000 versus $3.5 million for a Tomahawk with the same explosive effect — but requires air superiority to deliver from 20 miles away instead of 1,500. China is monitoring the U.S. arsenal depletion in real time, raising concerns about an "empty rack" scenario if a Pacific conflict erupts before stockpiles are rebuilt.