On 7 September, the US Department of Defense announced a new military aid package worth $600 million for Ukraine.
This package provided through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) includes equipment to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense, artillery munitions, and other capabilities.
“This USAI package highlights the continued US commitment to meeting Ukraine’s pressing requirements by committing critical near-term capabilities while also building the enduring capacity of Ukraine’s Armed Forces to defend its territory and deter Russian aggression over the mid and long term. The United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements,” the US Department of Defense noted in its official statement.
The capabilities in this military aid package include:
- Equipment to sustain and integrate Ukraine’s air defense systems;
- Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
- 105-mm artillery rounds;
- Electronic warfare and counter-electronic warfare equipment;
- Demolition munitions for obstacle clearing;
- Mine clearing equipment;
- Support and equipment for training, maintenance, and sustainment activities.
Unlike Presidential Drawdown authority, which the US Department of Defense employs to deliver equipment to Ukraine from the stocks of the US Armed Forces, USAI is an authority under which the United States procures capabilities from industry or partners. Therefore, the announcement of this military aid package marks the beginning of a contracting process “to provide additional priority capabilities to Ukraine,” according to the US Department of Defense.
On 6 September, the US Department of Defense unveiled a $175 million security assistance package for Ukraine, including depleted uranium tank ammunition.
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