Daily Signal Victor Davis Hanson: The Problem with America’s Military Arsenal
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Oct 15, 2026 Victor Davis Hanson examines America’s shrinking missile inventories and the costly mismatch between multimillion-dollar weapons and cheap enemy drones. The conversation explores Ukraine’s drone production, the vulnerability of America’s limited high-end platforms, and lessons from World War II’s industrial mobilization. It also considers how mass production and affordable systems could address threats from China, Russia, Iran, and beyond.
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Multi-Front Wars Are Draining Missile Inventories
- Multi-front conflicts are consuming U.S. missile inventories faster than they can be replaced.
- Patriot stocks fell 25–30%, while Hellfire and Tomahawk inventories fell about 50%; cheap drones create the imbalance.
The Missile Drone Cost Imbalance
- Cheap drones can force the United States into economically unsustainable defensive exchanges.
- A $4 million Patriot missile may destroy a drone costing only $5,000 or $6,000, while adversaries expand production faster.
Ukraine’s Drone Production Advantage
- Ukraine demonstrates the scale problem by planning to produce one million drones after 2026.
- Hanson contrasts that output with projected U.S. production of 50,000 drones this year and possibly 300,000 next year.