missile gap

American  

noun

1. a lag in one country's missile production relative to the production of another country.

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Etymology

Origin of missile gap

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Those weapons, along with anti-ship missiles fielded in Okinawa by the new littoral regiments, could help close a growing missile gap with China, say experts.

From Reuters • Jan. 11, 2023

Of course, like the "bomber gap" that preceded it by a few years, no such missile gap actually existed.

From Salon • Mar. 6, 2022

In many ways, U.S. concerns over China and technology parallel concerns over the Soviet Union in the post-Sputnik missile gap period just before President John F. Kennedy’s election in 1960.

From Washington Post • Feb. 4, 2019

But in the interim the U.S. gathered new intelligence that there was in fact no missile gap.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2018

A new term began to make the rounds in policy circles, the press, and private conversation: the missile gap.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly