Over 11,000 Munitions Fired in Just 16 Days of the Iran War – RUSI Reveals Staggering Scale
The Royal United Services Institute, one of the world’s leading defence and security think tanks, has published a major new commentary highlighting the unprecedented munitions expenditure in the ongoing conflict with Iran.
“Over 11,000 Munitions in 16 Days of the Iran War: Command of the Reload Governs Endurance” according to RUSI’s analysis, co-authored with the Payne Institute, coalition forces expended 11,294 munitions in the first 16 days alone, at an estimated cost of approximately $26 billion.
Precision Strike Weapons Used Against Iran (Partial Breakdown):
912 JASSM cruise missiles
535 Tomahawk cruise missiles, with some reports citing up to 850
320 ATACMS plus PrSM ground launched missiles
Total tracked long range strike missiles approximately 1,767, excluding aerial bombs and specialized munitions like AGM-88 HARM.
Air and Missile Defence Interceptors Fired:
1,285 PAC-3 Patriot
563 Tamir Iron Dome
431 SM-2, SM-3, SM-6 Aegis
402 PAC-2 Patriot
198 THAAD USA plus 120 THAAD allies plus 22 THAAD Israel
135 David’s Sling
122 Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 Israel
Additional Patriot variants and Aster missiles from Gulf partners
Total approximately 3,448 high end interceptors.
In response, Iran launched approximately 1,300 ballistic missiles and 3,555 drones during the same period.
RUSI warns that this intense magazine burn rate is rapidly depleting high end stockpiles and raises serious concerns about long term sustainability. Replenishing these munitions could cost well over $50 billion due to wartime production premiums, with some critical systems such as certain Patriot variants, ATACMS and PrSM, and THAAD facing potential exhaustion within weeks or months at current rates.
The report emphasizes a new strategic reality. Modern conflicts are increasingly governed by Command of the Reload, the ability to sustain and replenish precision munitions faster than the adversary can expend them.
Source: Royal United Services Institute official commentary, published March 24, 2026, in collaboration with the Payne Institute for Public Policy