US commits billions more to Ukraine with a focus on air defence
The US Department of Defense has outlined the latest donation of equipment to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) with a package worth US$2.2 billion that features a heavy focus on air defence interceptors.
Details have also been revealed of a $150 million Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) package focused on air defence, long-range ground attack, artillery and mortar rounds, anti-armour weapons and missiles.
Specific items in the PDA package include HAWK air defence systems missiles, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems ammunition, 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, 81mm mortar rounds, Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided missiles, and Javelin and AT-4 anti-armour systems.
Additionally, small arms ammunition and grenades, demolition equipment and munitions, tactical vehicles to tow and haul equipment, tactical air navigation systems and aircraft support equipment will be included, along with spare parts, maintenance, and other field and ancillary equipment.
The USAI package includes funding to purchase interceptors for Patriot and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) air defence systems for Ukraine. The US government plans to accelerate delivery of these munitions by re-sequencing upcoming Foreign Military Sales deliveries for Ukraine.
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