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Rocket systems, grenade launchers, and tactical vehicles are among a new armament to be gifted to Ukraine under a new half-billion-dollar package from the United States.
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The US Department of Defense (DoD) will again dip into its own stocks to support Ukraine’s resistance to Russian aggression, committing a further US$450 million (AU$652 million) in military equipment.
This latest commitment, representing the thirteenth drawdown from DoD stocks, includes:
- four High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems;
- 36,000 rounds of 105mm ammunition;
- 18 tactical vehicles to tow 155mm artillery;
- 1,200 grenade launchers;
- 2,000 machine guns;
- 18 coastal and riverine patrol boats; and
- spare parts and other related equipment.
This latest pledge takes the total value of US security assistance for Ukraine to US$6.8 billion (AU$9.8 billion) since the Biden administration assumed office in January 2021, including approximately $6.1 billion (AU$8.8 billion) since Russia launched its invasion in February.
Just last week, the Pentagon committed a further US$1 billion (AU$1.4 billion) in military aid — made up of $350 million (just under AU$500 million) authorised via a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance and $650 million (AU$924 million) in funds via the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).
Unlike the Presidential Drawdown, which taps into existing US DoD stocks, the USAI would task defence industry with manufacturing new equipment.
The drawdown included:
- 18 155mm howitzers;
- 36,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition;
- 18 tactical vehicles to tow 155mm howitzers;
- additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
- four tactical vehicles to recover equipment; and
- spare parts and other equipment.
Other “near-term priority capabilities” under the USAI included:
- two Harpoon coastal defence systems;
- thousands of secure radios;
- thousands of night vision devices, thermal sights, and other optics; and
- funding for training, maintenance, sustainment, transportation, and administrative costs.
“The United States continues to work with its allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its evolving battlefield requirements,” the Pentagon noted following this latest announcement
[Related: Ukraine to receive US$1bn arms boost]
