U.S. Aid Continues to Flow into Ukraine

a missile is fired from a launcher on the ground near water and rocky terrain
National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS)

The U.S. on Thursday announced a $675 million security assistance package for Ukraine, marking the 20th time the Biden administration has utilized drawdown authority to transfer existing U.S. equipment into the warzone. This deal is also the sixth military aid package to be announced since the beginning of August.

The latest deal includes the following:

  • Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
  • Four 105mm howitzers and 36,000 105mm artillery rounds.
  • Additional High-speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARMs).
  • 100 Armored High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs).
  • 1.5 million rounds of small arms ammunition.
  • More than 5,000 anti-armor systems.
  • 1,000 155mm rounds of Remote Anti-Armor Mine (RAAM) systems.
  • Additional grenade launchers and small arms.
  • 50 armored medical treatment vehicles.
  • Night vision devices and other field equipment.

The White House also announced a plan to make available $2 billion in long-term Foreign Military Financing: $1 billion for Ukraine security assistance and another $1 billion to be distributed among 18 other countries in the region to help replace equipment allies have sent to Ukraine.

All told, the U.S. has contributed $15.2 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since January 2021.

The largest single aid package to date was a $3 billion investment announced on August 24. That deal did not involve the transfer of existing U.S. equipment. Rather, the funding was provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), where weapons are procured from industry. Standout items from that announcement include National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS); VAMPIRE counter-unmanned aerial systems, which can be integrated onto the back of a pickup truck or other utility vehicle; and counter-artillery radars. Here is the complete list of equipment included in that package:

  • Six additional NASAMS plus additional munitions for NASAMS.
  • Up to 245,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition.
  • Up to 65,000 rounds of 120mm mortar ammunition.
  • Up to 24 counter-artillery radars.
  • Puma unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and support equipment for Scan Eagle UAS units.
  • VAMPIRE counter-UAS.
  • Laser-guided rocket systems.
  • Funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment.

Earlier in August, the U.S. announced plans to send additional HIMARS ammunition, artillery rounds, ScanEagle UAS, AGM-88 anti-radiation missiles, additional Javelin anti-tank missiles, mineclearing equipment, explosives, and medical equipment.

Aid packages will continue to flow over the coming weeks using funding already appropriated by Congress. A pending continuing resolution needed to prevent a government shutdown at the start of the 2023 fiscal year on October 1 is also expected to include additional supplemental security assistance for Ukraine. The White House has proposed a CR that would include $13.7 billion in total aid. Of that total, $7.2 billion would be for defense, including $4.5 billion for weapons and $2.7 billion for intelligence and other support.

Shaun McDougall
Senior North America Analyst, U.S. Defense Budget Analyst, and Military Force Structures of the World Analyst at Forecast International | + posts

As editor of International Military Markets, North America, Shaun has cultivated a deep understanding of the vast defense markets in the United States and Canada. Shaun's perspective on defense procurement and budget issues has been cited in a variety of defense periodicals, including Defense News and National Defense Magazine. Further, Shaun played an integral role in the development of Forecast International's U.S. Defense Budget Forecast product, which offers an unprecedented level of insight into the Pentagon's acquisition budget. In addition to providing original analytical content for the U.S. Defense Budget Forecast, Shaun oversees an internal defense budget forecasting process involving Forecast International's team of skilled systems analysts following release of the DoD's annual budget request. Shaun is also in charge of managing Forecast International's Weapons Inventory database.

About Shaun McDougall

As editor of International Military Markets, North America, Shaun has cultivated a deep understanding of the vast defense markets in the United States and Canada. Shaun's perspective on defense procurement and budget issues has been cited in a variety of defense periodicals, including Defense News and National Defense Magazine. Further, Shaun played an integral role in the development of Forecast International's U.S. Defense Budget Forecast product, which offers an unprecedented level of insight into the Pentagon's acquisition budget. In addition to providing original analytical content for the U.S. Defense Budget Forecast, Shaun oversees an internal defense budget forecasting process involving Forecast International's team of skilled systems analysts following release of the DoD's annual budget request. Shaun is also in charge of managing Forecast International's Weapons Inventory database.

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