Munitions stockpile issue persists 2 years into Ukraine conflict: Marine Corps general
“How long can our magazines maintain this?” Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl said of using million-dollar missiles to knock down less expensive drones.
By JUSTIN KATZ
on February 14, 2024 at 3:29 PM
USS Hopper launches a Standard Missile 3 Blk IA, successfully intercepting a sub-scale short range ballistic missile, launched from the Kauai Test Facility, Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sans, Kauai. (Fred Baker / OSD Public Affairs)
https://breakingdefense.com/2024/02/munitions-stockpile-issue-persists-2-years-into-ukraine-conflict-marine-corps-general/WEST 2024 — After raising alarm bells to Capitol Hill near the start of the conflict in Ukraine, a top Marine Corps general here said he remains concerned about the service’s ability, or lack thereof, to maintain its munitions stockpiles while continuing to aid Kyiv, and now fend off Houthi rebel attacks in the Middle East.
Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, the service’s top requirements officer, referenced the Russian landing ship Cesar Kunikov, which Ukraine this week claimed to sink using several naval drones, as an example of how the Pentagon is not on the “right side” of the cost curve when it comes to defeating large swarms of unmanned vehicles.
“I know from the Marine Corps perspective, we’re working very hard to get on the right side of the cost curve,” he said. The Russian ship was sunk by “$60,000 worth of jet skis.”
