USA Announces USAI funded Aid Package For Ukraine
The Department of Defence (DoD) has recently announced a new aid package worth $125 million. This will be the 50th shipment of arms and equipment sent to Ukraine by the Biden Administration since August 2021, which includes $300 million as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) fund which will aim to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences on a long term basis.
The new package includes a mixture of equipment including munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 155mm/105mm artillery rounds, TOW missiles, Javelin/AT-4 anti armour systems, M184A1 Claymore anti-personnel mines, cold weather gear and over 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades. The deal also includes 12 trucks to transport heavy equipment and spare parts for maintenance in the field.
This arms package differs from a Presidential Drawdown which utilises equipment from Department of Defence stocks, The USAI announcement procures kit and equipment from industry. The USAI package making use of the $300 million being made available from a recently passed resolution by the US Congress using up remaining USAI funds to do so. This new arms package marks the first instance of the USAI being used to help arm and equip the Ukrainian armed forces.
Speaking at a 31 October Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke on America’s commitment to supplemental aid for Ukraine:
‘When we send our friends munitions from our stockpiles, the money to replenish our supplies strengthens our military readiness, [as] we invest in American industry and American workers…Today’s battles against aggression and terrorism will define global security for years to come. And only firm American leadership can ensure that tyrants, thugs and terrorists worldwide are not emboldened to commit more aggression and more atrocities.’
To date America, along with 50 other nations, have spent 35 billion dollars in aid for Ukraine in a ongoing effort to arm the nation since the conflict began in 2022.