The United States has announced a new military aid package worth $2.2 billion to Ukraine. The new military aid package is split into $425 million from its own stockpiles and $1.75 billion under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).

The package provides critical air defense capabilities, as well as armored infantry vehicles and other equipment. Also, ammunition for M142 HIMARS missile systems, which will allow Ukrainian forces to hit targets behind Russian forces.

The list of help from US warehouses includes:

• Additional ammunition for the HIMARS rocket launcher system;
• additional 155 mm ammunition;
• additional 120 mm mortar rounds;
• 190 heavy machine guns with thermal imaging sights and ammunition to counter unmanned aerial systems;
• 181 mine-protected cars;
• 250 Javelin complex;
• 2 thousand anti-tank missiles;
• Claymore anti-personnel munitions;
• explosive ammunition;
• cold weather equipment.

In addition, as part of the USAI package, Washington will specifically provide:

• two HAWK air defense systems;
• anti-aircraft guns and ammunition;
• anti-drone systems;
• Equipment for the integration of western air defense vehicles into the Ukrainian defense system;
• equipment for the existing air defense equipment of Ukraine;
• four air surveillance radars and 20 mortar radars;
• unmanned Puma systems;
• high precision missiles.

As the State Department explains, unlike allocating aid by presidential decree, USAI allows equipment to be purchased from manufacturers rather than using US Department of Defense stockpiles.

GLSDB

Pentagon representative Patrick Ryder said the precision-guided missiles in the package for Ukraine were GLSDB bombs.

“As part of the USAI package, we will provide Ukraine with small scale ground-launched bombs (GLSDB). This gives them greater range and the ability to fire at long distances.‘, Patrick Ryder explained.

He added that the new capabilities will allow Kiev to “conduct operations to defend its country and reclaim its sovereign lands.” They can hit targets at a distance of 150 km, which will double the current hit range of Ukraine’s HIMARS.

Republican Mike McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, said he was pleased that the GLSDB resolution was passed, but said the Joe Biden administration had passed the resolution “too late” and believed it was not enough.

“I’ve been urging Director Biden for months to send longer range systems to Ukraine. I applaud the decision to send GLSDB but it came too late and management’s refusal to send ATACMS is unacceptable. time matters“, stresses the congressman. Source