Illustration of a THAAD interceptor in flight. Credit: Lockheed Martin

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The Pentagon is pressing defense contractors to increase production of missile interceptors as recent conflicts expose a longstanding weakness in U.S. air and missile defense: inventories of the most capable weapons can be depleted faster than industry can replace them.

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Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense...