PDB Afternoon Bulletin | April 23rd, 2026: How Close Is the U.S. to Running Out of Key Weapons? & Iran’s Secret U.S. Operative
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
It's Thursday, the 23rd of April. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First up, a new analysis warns the U.S.
How is the U.S. military's ammunition supply impacted by the conflict with Iran?
may be running dangerously low on key munitions after weeks of fighting with Iran, raising concerns about how prepared the U.S. is if this conflict reignites or something bigger breaks out. I'll have the details. Later in the show, a glamorous California socialite is accused of secretly running a global arms network for Iran, brokering massive weapons deals while living a jet-set lifestyle in the U.S. And it's not often that I do stories on glamorous California socialites, so stand by. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. As diplomacy hangs by a thread with Iran, as opposed to Iran hanging protesters, which they do, and the potential for another round of fighting still a distinct possibility, a new analysis is showing that the U.S.
military may be running dangerously low on some key munitions. The study from the Center for Strategic and International Studies takes stock of the weapons that America's burned through during the first 39 days of the Iran campaign before the ceasefire took hold. And while the headline is not that the U.S.
What are the implications of the U.S. running low on key munitions?
is about to run out of ammunition entirely, the report does make one thing very clear. Some of the high-end missiles that make modern warfare possible have been used at a very high rate, and replacing them will take years, not months. Now, an important note here, the exact size of U.S. weapons stockpiles is classified. What CSIS is working with are informed estimates based on defense budget data, production records, and known usage in past conflicts. The report focuses on seven critical munitions, and they fall into two broad categories, long-range strike weapons and missile defense interceptors. We'll start on the long-range strike side. First, the Tomahawk, the long-range cruise missile launched from Navy ships and submarines.
Its importance is simple. It allows the US to hit targets from far away without putting pilots directly into harm's way. In the opening stages of a war, when enemy air defenses are still intact and the skies are still dangerous, these missiles are critical. According to the analysis, the U.S. may have fired more than 850 Tomahawks in the Iran fight alone, out of an estimated pre-war inventory of around 3,100. Then there's the JASSM, or Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile. Huh.
What critical munitions are highlighted in the CSIS report?
This is an air-launched stealth missile carried by bombers and other aircraft. Like the Tomahawk, it's designed to strike from a safe distance, but it's especially useful against heavily defended targets because of its range and low observability. The report estimates the U.S. may have used more than 1,000 of them in the war. That's a major drawdown from a pre-war inventory estimated at roughly 4,400. Next is the Precision Strike Missile, or BRSM. This is fired by Army launchers like the HIMARS system and gives ground forces the ability to hit targets deep behind enemy lines. It's important because it gives the Army its own long-range punch without relying entirely on ships or aircraft. But this is also one of the most concerning areas in the report, because PRSM is a relatively new system, and inventories were already limited.
CSIS estimates the U.S. had only about 90 before the war and may have used 40 to 70 of them. Now to the defensive side of the equation, where the numbers get even more uncomfortable and where the media has spent weeks zeroing in on just how strained these missile defense stockpiles have become. The SM-3 is a ship-launched interceptor built to destroy ballistic missiles in flight. It's not for drones or cheap rockets. This is for knocking down the kind of high-end missile threats that can threaten bases or cities and major military assets.
How does the Tomahawk missile play a role in U.S. military strategy?
The U.S. reportedly had about 410 before the war. and may have used between 130 and 250. Then there's the FAD system, which stands for Terminal High Altitude Air Defense. This is a ground-based system designed to intercept ballistic missiles at high altitude.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:12–0:25
2
How is the U.S. military's ammunition supply impacted by the conflict with Iran?
0:25–1:31
3
What are the implications of the U.S. running low on key munitions?
1:31–2:51
4
What critical munitions are highlighted in the CSIS report?
2:51–4:15
5
How does the Tomahawk missile play a role in U.S. military strategy?
4:15–5:19
6
What allegations are made against the California socialite Shamim Mafi?
5:19–6:46
7
How did Shamim Mafi allegedly operate her arms network?
6:46–7:54
8
What evidence links Shamim Mafi to Iranian intelligence?
7:54–15:26
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from The President's Daily Brief
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