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The US government has announced more than US$225 million in security assistance to Ukraine, as international representatives meet this week to discuss the conflict with Russia.
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US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III will meet with members of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels, Belgium, on 12 June to discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and the continued support from the international community.
“The outcome in Ukraine is crucial for European security, for global security, and for American security,” Austin said.
“None of us would want to live in a world where dictators redraw borders by force and launch wars of aggression to try to revive yesterday’s empires.
“So let me be clear, Ukraine’s partners are united … We’re determined. And we’re not going anywhere.”
The US Department of Defense recently announced the Presidential Drawdown Authority package on 7 June to provide Ukraine with additional capabilities to meet urgent battlefield needs, such as air defence interceptors, artillery systems and munitions, armoured vehicles, and anti-tank weapons.
Assistance includes HAWK air defence system (surface-to-air, low-to-medium altitude) missiles, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) ammunition, 155mm Howitzers, 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, 81mm mortar systems, tube-launched optically-tracked wire-guided missiles, Javelin and AT-4 anti-armour systems.
The announcement also includes M113 armoured personnel carriers, trailers to transport heavy equipment, small arms ammunition and grenades, coastal and riverine patrol boats, demolitions munitions, night vision devices, spare parts, maintenance, and other ancillary equipment.
The US-led coalition will meet to discuss Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s ongoing invasion, Pentagon press secretary Air Force Major General Pat Ryder said.
“The secretary and chairman will join ministers of defence and senior military officials from nearly 50 nations to discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and the continued support from the international community to provide the Ukrainian people with the means necessary to defend their sovereign territory,” Maj Gen Ryder said during a briefing at the Pentagon.
Earlier this month, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence signed a contract for the delivery of a second complete Thales Air Defence system to help protect the country.
The additional short-range air defence system consists of a ControlMaster 200 (CM200), including a Ground Master 200 air surveillance radar, a radio communications system, Air Defence command-and-control centre ControlView, together with portable weapon allocation terminals.
“This second air defence system will strengthen the protection of the Ukrainian territory, enabling early detection of existing threats,” Hervé Dammann, executive vice-president, Land and Air Systems, said.
“Thales is proud to put its expertise at the service of Ukraine’s protection.”
European air defence systems’ integrator Thales manufactures air defence technologies to protect against various types of threats at all levels of the airspace and covers the entire decision-making chain, from detection and identification to neutralisation.
Following the supply of a first air defence system to Ukraine in 2023, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has decided to acquire a second system, due to its proven efficiency on the battlefield.
Ensuring the protection of the population and armed forces requires the earliest possible detection of threats, wherever and whenever they arise – at sea, in the air or on land.
The CM200 detects and tracks simultaneously low-to-high altitude targets in all types of environments. It provides air defence weapon coordination for Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) up to Extended Short Range Air Defence (E-SHORAD).
The Ground Master 200 radar establishes tracks faster and keeps them locked for longer, thus maximising situational awareness. This gives time to the ControlView command and control system to evaluate the threat while allocating the appropriate firing units for air target engagement through each weapon terminal.
