In the wake of the NATO summit that took place in Spain earlier this week, the U.S. military has announced yet another package of security aid to Ukraine.
The latest package is worth $820 million and contains advanced anti-aircraft weapons to tackle the Russian missile threat.
Surface-to-Air Missiles
– The new package of military aid contains the following weapon systems and supplies:
– Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
– Two National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS);
– Up to 150,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition; and
– Four additional counter-artillery radars.
The NASAMS is a medium-range anti-defense system that can target aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise missiles. The weapon system is a product of a collaboration between Raytheon and Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace and was first developed for the Norwegian military.
“The United States continues to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its evolving battlefield requirements. In particular, DoD recognizes Norway’s cooperation to enable the historic provision by the United States of modern air defense systems that will help Ukraine defend against Russia’s brutal air attacks,” Acting Pentagon Press Secretary Todd Breasseale said in a press statement on Friday.
In the last two years, the U.S. has committed to providing Ukraine with more than $7.6 billion in security assistance alone, with approximately $6.9 billion of that assistance given the war began more than four months ago on February 24. Since 2014, when Moscow first attacked Ukraine, the U.S. has provided Kyiv with more than $8.8 billion in security assistance.
Total U.S. Security Aid
Since the war started, the Pentagon has provided or committed to providing the Ukrainian military with the following weapons systems:
-Over 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems;
-Over 6,500 Javelin anti-armor systems;
-Over 20,000 other anti-armor systems;
-Over 700 Switchblade Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems;
-126 155mm Howitzers and over 442,000 155mm artillery rounds;
-126 Tactical Vehicles to tow 155mm Howitzers;
-19 Tactical Vehicles to recover equipment;
-8 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and ammunition;
-Two Harpoon coastal defense systems;
-Two National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS)
-20 Mi-17 helicopters;
-Hundreds of Armored High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles;
-200 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers;
-Over 7,000 small arms;
-Over 50,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition;
-75,000 sets of body armor and helmets;
-121 Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems;
-Laser-guided rocket systems;
-Puma Unmanned Aerial Systems;
-Unmanned Coastal Defense Vessels;
-18 coastal and riverine patrol boats;
-26 counter-artillery radars;
-Four counter-mortar radars;
-Four air surveillance radars;
-M18A1 Claymore anti-personnel munitions;
-C-4 explosives and demolition equipment for obstacle clearing;
-Tactical secure communications systems;
-Night vision devices, thermal imagery systems, optics, and laser rangefinders;
-Commercial satellite imagery services;
-Explosive ordnance disposal protective gear;
-Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear protective equipment;
-Medical supplies to include first aid kits;
-Electronic jamming equipment;
-Field equipment and spare parts.
1945’s New Defense and National Security Columnist, Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
