U.S. Stockpile of Iconic Tomahawk Missiles Revealed

President Trump rejected Ukraine's request for Tomahawk cruise missiles, saying the US can't "deplete" its own stockpile. His concerns appear justified - America has roughly 4,000-4,150 active Tomahawks and is only producing about 60 new ones per year while facing global military commitments.

When asked about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's push for the long-range cruise missiles, Trump was blunt: "We can't deplete our country's reserves. We also need them, so I don't know what we can do."

The numbers back up Trump's hesitation. Mark Cancian, a former Pentagon official, estimated the US had about 4,150 Tomahawks in 2023. The Navy holds over 3,500 of these missiles, according to military databases. But here's the problem - America has already fired more than 1,900 Tomahawks in previous conflicts.

Recent operations have eaten into the stockpile. US forces launched up to 120 Tomahawks after 2022, including dozens targeting Houthi positions in Yemen and Iranian sites. Each missile costs roughly $2 million and takes time to replace.

Production can't keep up with demand. The 2026 budget allocates just 57 new Tomahawks for the military. The Navy bought zero new missiles in recent years, while the Marines purchased only 22 last year. Current production runs at about 5 missiles per month starting in early 2025 - nowhere near enough to quickly rebuild stocks.

Cancian believes the US could spare some Tomahawks for Ukraine, but not enough to change the war's trajectory. And Trump may need these weapons elsewhere - he's mentioned potential military action against Venezuela, which would require cruise missile strikes.

The missile shortage reflects broader US defense production challenges. America built roughly 9,000 Tomahawks through 2023 but has used over 2,300 in combat operations. With slow replacement rates and classified stockpile levels, military planners worry about running short during multiple conflicts.

For Ukraine, this means continuing to rely on shorter-range weapons and European-supplied missiles. The Tomahawk's 1,000-mile range would let Ukrainian forces strike deep into Russia, but America's own strategic needs appear to take priority.