US Announces 2 Critical Security Assistance Packages For Ukraine

The Biden administration has announced two critical new packages of security assistance to Ukraine to help the war-torn country fight against Russian invasion.

The latest round of U.S. military assistance, valued at $500 million, includes significant new air defense capabilities, more ammunition for U.S.-provided HIMARS and anti-armor and motor systems, as well as rockets, artillery, and tank ammunition that Ukraine is using to defend itself.

It is the 35th time the Biden administration has authorized the use of presidential drawdown authorities to send much-needed assistance to Ukraine to meet its immediate battlefield needs.

In addition, the Department of Defense is providing equipment to help Ukraine with its longer-term security assistance requirements using $2.1 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds.

Unlike Presidential Drawdown, USAI is an authority under which the United States procures capabilities from industry rather than delivering equipment that is drawn down from DoD stocks. The announcement of this USAI package represents the beginning of a contracting process to provide additional capabilities to Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

The capabilities in the $500 million package include Additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems; Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS); 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds; 120mm mortar rounds; 120mm and 105mm tank ammunition; 25mm ammunition; Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles; Approximately 400 grenade launchers and 200,000 rounds of ammunition; 11 tactical vehicles to recover equipment; 61 heavy fuel tankers; 10 trucks and 10 trailers to transport heavy equipment; Testing and diagnostic equipment to support vehicle maintenance and repair; and spare parts and other field equipment.

Under USAI, the DoD will provide Ukraine with additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS); Nine counter-Unmanned Aerial System 30mm gun trucks; 10 mobile c-UAS laser-guided rocket systems; Three air surveillance radars; 30mm and 23mm anti-aircraft ammunition; 130mm and 122mm artillery rounds; 122mm GRAD rockets; Rocket launchers and ammunition; Javelin anti-armor systems; Anti-armor rockets; Approximately 3,600 small arms and more than 23,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition; Seven tactical vehicles to recover equipment; Eight heavy fuel tankers and 105 fuel trailers; Armored bridging systems; and Funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment.

Separately, at a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission on Tuesday, Allied foreign ministers reaffirmed their strong support for Ukraine. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg noted that Allies will develop a multi-year initiative to help ensure Ukraine’s deterrence and defense, make the transition from Soviet-era equipment and doctrines to NATO standards, and increase interoperability with NATO.

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