Defense industry gathers in Pennsylvania as US weapon stockpiles hit new low

Major players in the defense industry, as well as Trump administration officials, will convene at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., beginning Tuesday, as fears grow that the county’s stockpile of weapons is dangerously low after a series of attacks on Iran.President Trump himself will join a roundtable Wednesday as part of the two-day Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit, hosted by Sen.Dave McCormick (R-Pa.).Keystone State companies produce thousands of parts along the US military’s supply chain, playing vital roles in producing ships, vehicles and weapons, according to a new report produced by logistics firm Exiger and shared exclusively with The Post Tuesday.

Pennsylvania-based defense organizations supply 113,000 parts, employ 190,000 people, and have received more than $263 billion in Department of War funding over the past two decades, the seventh-most among the 50 states.Firms like Philadelphia-based Rhoads Industries and Howmet Aerospace in Pittsburgh produce a “substantial number of components that cannot be readily replaced,” the report found, adding that some 2,000 weapon systems rely on parts manufactured in Pennsylvania.“Our report gives leaders convening at the US Army War College deep visibility into the Commonwealth’s supply chain and into the role it plays in the larger defense industrial base,” said Exiger CEO Brandon Daniels.The company also raises some red flags about the state of military production, warning the US is “entirely or near-entirely dependent on foreign sources” for key materials and minerals.“The gap between what America builds and what America mines is, in essence, a structural liability baked into the industrial base itself,” the Exiger report notes. The deep dive comes as key US weapon stockpiles remain significantly depleted and could face further drawdowns as Operation Epic Fury continues, with strikes being launched Monday night for a third consecutive day.In fact, an April report from the...