The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced the dispatch of a new military aid package to Ukraine, valued at $500 million.
This Presidential Reduction Authority (which allows for the rapid delivery of Defense articles and services from DoD stockpiles to foreign countries and international organizations to respond to unforeseen emergencies. Such assistance can begin arriving within days – or even hours – of approval) is the forty-first drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine by the Biden Administration since August 2021
This package, valued at up to $500 million, includes key capabilities to support Ukraine’s counteroffensive operations and strengthen its air defenses, as well as additional armored vehicles, anti-armor systems, critical munitions and other equipment to help Ukraine push back Russian forces.
This military assistance package includes the following items and capabilities:
- Additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems;
- Stinger anti-aircraft systems;
- Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
- Demolitions munitions and systems for obstacle clearing;
- Mine clearing equipment;
- 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds;
- 30 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles;
- 25 Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers;
- Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;
- Javelin anti-armor systems;
- AT-4 anti-armor systems;
- Anti-armor rockets;
- High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs);
- Precision aerial munitions;
- Small arms and over 22 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades;
- Thermal imagery systems and night vision devices;
- Testing and diagnostic equipment to support vehicle maintenance and repair;
- Spare parts, generators, and other field equipment.
See also: Ukrainian MiG-29 firing AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles
Several of the aforementioned items, such as HARM missiles or guided aviation munitions, evidence the need for greater Ukrainian Air Force (UAF) involvement to support counter-offensive actions.
