US Preparing for War with China, Steps to Double Weapons Production

The Pentagon has expressed deep concerns over its dwindling weapons stockpile in the face of a potential future conflict with China, prompting an aggressive push to double or even quadruple the production rate of a dozen critical weapons systems—particularly missiles.

According to senior U.S. defense officials have already initiated high-level meetings with major American missile manufacturers to accelerate production of these vital weapons.

The push began in earnest during a roundtable meeting at the Pentagon this past June, where key suppliers—including newcomers like Anduril Industries and critical component manufacturers like rocket propellant providers—were brought in for talks. The meeting was attended by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Kane, among others.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed the initiative, saying:
“President Trump and Secretary Hegseth are exploring extraordinary methods to enhance our military strength and accelerate weapons production. This effort is the result of close collaboration between top Pentagon officials and defense industry leaders.”

However, some individuals involved in the initiative, both inside and outside the government, have voiced concerns about the realism of these goals. Experts warn that some of the missile systems take up to two years to fully assemble. Additionally, weapons sourced from new suppliers must undergo rigorous testing to ensure they meet the safety and reliability standards required for U.S. military use.

Funding remains another critical issue. Although the Trump administration’s "Big Beautiful Bill," signed in July, allocated an additional $25 billion over five years for weapons production, analysts suggest that the Pentagon may need several billion dollars more to meet its goals.

The urgency of this acceleration also stems from the high rate of missile use in ongoing conflicts. The Pentagon is struggling to keep pace with the consumption of expensive interceptors like the Patriot missiles, especially amid heavy Russian bombardments in Ukraine. In many cases, new missile orders are failing to replace depleted stocks quickly enough.

U.S. military officials also want to significantly boost the supply of these interceptors to protect American bases and allies in the Pacific region. The Trump administration reportedly set more aggressive production targets in June following a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, during which the U.S. launched hundreds of high-grade missiles, further depleting its arsenal.

Pentagon has zeroed in on 12 high-priority weapons systems for increased production in anticipation of a possible confrontation with China. These include:

• Patriot Interceptors (top priority),

• Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM),

• Standard Missile-6 (SM-6),

• Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM),

• Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM).