With the large-scale counteroffensive in full swing, the Ukrainian military is going through a lot of weapon systems and ammunition on a daily basis.
Worth approximately $1.3 billion, the latest package of security aid to Ukraine has a dual purpose: enhance the Ukrainian air defense umbrella and ensure that the Ukrainian military can maintain its counteroffensive.
The United States is also trying to ensure that Ukraine has the necessary capabilities to stave off Russian aggression now but also in the future.
Ukrainian NASAMS Against Russian Missiles
The most significant item on the Pentagon’s latest package of military aid is the four additional National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) with accompanying munitions.
The U.S. military has already sent eight NASAMS to Ukraine, as well as one MIM-104 Patriot air defense system. In addition, Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands have also sent IRIS-T, MIM-104 Patriot, and NASAMS air defense systems to Kyiv.
“This USAI package highlights the continued U.S. 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 Pentagon said in a press release.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense claims to have destroyed close to 1,300 ballistic and cruise missiles as well as hundreds of suicide drones.
Although most of the fighting is taking place along the 600-mile-long contact line, the Russian military continues to attack Ukrainian urban centers and critical infrastructure with ballistic and cruise missiles and suicide drones.
As a result, Kyiv needs the ability to defend its population from these indiscriminate attacks. That is why successive security aid packages continue to enhance the air defense capabilities of the Ukrainian military.
In total, since the Russian invasion began on February 24, 2022, the U.S. alone has sent or committed to sending dozens of types of weapon systems and munitions in a military assistance worth almost $43 billion.
“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 Pentagon stated.
Other notable contributors to the Ukrainian defense include the United Kingdom, Poland, Germany, Estonia, and the Czech Republic.
Sustaining the Counteroffensive
Besides the air defense systems, the latest package of military aid included weapons, munitions, and logistical aid to sustain the Ukrainian counteroffensive.
More specifically, the package includes mine-clearing equipment, artillery rounds for 152mm guns, Phoenix Ghost and Switchblade suicide drones, 150 fuel trucks, 115 tactical vehicles to tow and haul gear, 50 tactical vehicles to recover damaged equipment, and other logistical support.
The large number of equipment designed to recover and tow damaged equipment suggests that a lot of the casualties on weapon systems that the Ukrainians have suffered in the counteroffensive thus far are recoverable.
In addition, the goal of the mine-clearing equipment is to help the Ukrainians break through the extensive Russian minefields. However, it will take some time before the systems are delivered, and Ukraine can hardly lose more time.
Author Expertise
A 19FortyFive 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.
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