Amid the ongoing U.S. war against Iran, the Pentagon has suspended deliveries of ammunition including HIMARS and Javelin anti-tank systems to allies such as Estonia, citing urgent needs in the Iran conflict. Estonia, which spends 5.4% of its GDP on defense and has been a committed NATO member, received news of the pause on April 20, 2026, from U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Other allies, including Switzerland and Ukraine, are facing similar delays and cancellations of weapons like Patriot missiles and other military equipment. These disruptions are straining relationships, challenging European countries that are rapidly expanding defense procurement due to the war in Ukraine, and threatening NATO’s operational capability. Allies are considering diversifying weapon sources toward countries like South Korea, Israel, and Turkey to mitigate U.S. supply disruptions. The U.S. remains the world's largest arms exporter, but the delays are fostering uncertainty and increasing the appeal of domestically made or alternate suppliers’ weapons.

Amid the ongoing U.S. war against Iran, the Pentagon has suspended deliveries of ammunition including HIMARS and Javelin anti-tank systems to allies such as Estonia, citing urgent needs in the Iran conflict. Estonia, which spends 5.4% of its GDP on defense and has been a committed NATO member, received news of the pause on April 20, 2026, from U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Other allies, including Switzerland and Ukraine, are facing similar delays and cancellations of weapons like Patriot missiles and other military equipment. These disruptions are straining relationships, challenging European countries that are rapidly expanding defense procurement due to the war in Ukraine, and threatening NATO’s operational capability. Allies are considering diversifying weapon sources toward countries like South Korea, Israel, and Turkey to mitigate U.S. supply disruptions. The U.S. remains the world's largest arms exporter, but the delays are fostering uncertainty and increasing the appeal of domestically made or alternate suppliers’ weapons.