Pentagon fears ATACMS missile supply to Ukraine could undercut US readiness for future conflict with China, according to the Washington Post.
Pentagon resists Ukraine’s request for ATACMS long-range missiles, which can hit targets deep behind Russian lines, over concerns about future conflict with China, according to the Washington Post.
Although Ukraine continues to plead for ATACMS, US officials fear the United States does not have enough ATACMS to supply Ukraine without undercutting its own defensive capabilities, according to the Washington Post.
According to the Washington Post, the Biden administration is considering several new options to boost military support for Ukraine as it sees the likelihood that the Russo-Ukrainian war will continue next year.
At the same time, there is growing support for providing longer-range cluster munitions for MLRS than the ones the US started supplying to Ukraine last month.
The MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is a tactical ballistic missile manufactured by the US defense company Lockheed Martin. It has a range of up to 300 km, with solid propellant. The ATACMS can be fired from the tracked M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and the wheeled M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). Ukraine’s Armed Forces use both of these rocket systems.
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