On 23 November the United States authorised a further $400 million drawdown in security assistance for Ukraine’s defence against Russia. In is the 26th such drawdown from US inventories since August 2021 and since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24th February this year the value of that assistance is $19.7 billion.
With air defence currently paramount to counter Russia’s ongoing missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks on Ukraine’s civilians and power grid, the US is supplying additional munitions for the eight National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) that were originally supplied to Ukraine.
The NASAMS system comprises a Sentinel A3 radar (although a new Ghosteye MR – medium range- radar was made available in 2021), a Kongsberg Fire Distribution Centre, launcher, and Raytheon suite of effectors, such as Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles with Extended Range (AMRAAM-ER), and AIM-9Xs.
The US is also supplying a further 150 heavy machine guns with thermal imagery sights which are provided to counter the UAV threat.
Artillery also has a large and significant role on the battlefield, so there is also additional ammunition of the very effective High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 38 of which were supplied by the US, as well as a further 200 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds; and for the close-in fight, 10,000 120mm mortar rounds for the infantry.
Other aspects of the hardware assistance includes: High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs); transport in the form of 150 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs); a further 100 light tactical vehicles; and 20 million rounds of small arms ammunition.
To date, the US has supplied a wealth of equipment of all types to Ukraine, from over 700 Switchblade tactical UAV systems; to thousands of Javelin anti-armour and Stinger anti-air systems, armoured vehicles including 200 M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers; 250 M1117 ArmoUred Security Vehicles; 440 MaxxPro Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles; a wide variety of radars and even coastal patrol vessels.
by Andrew Drwiega
