The Department of Defense has expanded U.S. support for Ukraine with the approval of two new assistance packages valued at $2.6 billion in total.
To meet the nation’s security demands, $500 million worth of equipment will be supplied through a Presidential Drawdown and $2.1 billion will be financed by Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds, the DOD announced on Tuesday.
The Presidential Drawdown, which represents the 35th drawdown since August 2021, will provide High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, air defense interceptors and artillery rounds. Also included in the package are anti-armor systems, small arms, heavy equipment transport vehicles and necessary maintenance support.
Specific items to be delivered are 155 and 105 millimeter artillery rounds, Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided missiles, heavy fuel tankers, spare parts and other ammunition and vehicles.
An array of air defense capabilities, artillery and tank ammunition, mortar systems, rockets and anti-armor systems will be funded under the USAI, including munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, counter-Unmanned Aerial System 30 millimeter gun trucks, air surveillance radars, satellite communications terminals and services and an assortment of vehicles, among numerous others.
While Presidential Drawdowns utilize equipment from DOD stocks, USAI allows the federal government to procure capabilities from industry. This package serves as the start of a contracting process intended to continue delivering military capabilities to Ukraine.
The DOD said that it will continue collaborating with U.S. allies to support Ukraine’s immediate and long-term security demands. Figures from the department revealed that over 54 nations have dedicated significant numbers of tanks and other armored vehicles, artillery systems, artillery rounds and Multiple Rocket Launch systems to Ukraine.
In sum, the U.S. has allocated over $35.8 billion to support Ukraine’s security.
