The Biden administration has announced a new package of military assistance for Ukraine in the amount of $2.6 billion, which includes additional ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and the Patriot air defense system, the US Department of Defense said in a press release.
“Today, the Department of Defense announces critical new security assistance for Ukraine. This includes […] more ammunition for US-provided HIMARS, air defense interceptors and artillery rounds that Ukraine is using to defend itself, as well as anti-armor systems, small arms, heavy equipment transport vehicles, and maintenance support essential to strengthening Ukraine’s defenders on the battlefield valued at up to $500 million,” the release said.
In addition, the Biden administration will spend $2.1 billion from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds to purchase additional air defense capabilities, as well as artillery and tank ammunition, mortar systems, rockets, and anti-armor systems for Kiev, the release said.
Ukraine will also be provided munitions for the US-supplied National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), three air surveillance radars, ten mobile c-UAS laser-guided rocket systems and nine counter-Unmanned Aerial System 30mm gun trucks, the release said.
Moreover, the United States will provide Ukraine with 69 fuel tankers and 105 fuel trailers, 18 tactical vehicles to recover equipment, armored bridging systems and 3,600 small arms along with more than 23 million rounds of small arms ammunition, among other military assistance, the release said.
The new package includes secure communications equipment, SATCOM terminals and associated services, as well as funding for training, maintenance and sustainment, the release added.
The provision of security assistance under the USAI authority means that the security equipment for Ukraine will not be drawn directly from the Defense Department stocks but will be instead procured from respective manufacturers and this process can take up to several months, according to Pentagon officials.
