An SM-3 is launched from the USS Lake Erie during a test.US Navy photoThe US Navy has been burning through interceptors fighting in Middle East conflicts, including the valuable SM-3.This interceptor and others would be crucial in a potential war with China.But America isn't replacing the interceptors it's expending fast enough.US Navy warships have twice been called upon to defend Israel from massive Iranian ballistic missile attacks and have used SM-3 interceptors to defeat the incoming threats.The Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) — an air-defense interceptor made by RTX and, for a newer variant, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries — was first used in combat in April to shield Israel from an unprecedented attack, and then it saw combat again in October when Iran attacked a second time.