Biden Administration announces additional security assistance for Ukraine.

On April 4, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced critical new security assistance for Ukraine. This includes the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance with more ammunition for U.S.-provided HIMARS, air defense interceptors, and artillery rounds that Ukraine is using to defend itself, as well as anti-armor systems, small arms, heavy equipment transport vehicles, and maintenance support essential to strengthening Ukraine's defenders on the battlefield valued at up to $500 million.
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TOW anti-tank missile fired from a Humvee by US paratroopers of 1st Sqn, 91st Cav Rgt, 173rd Abn Bde, at Grafenwoehr training aera in Germany, Dec. 13, 2022 (Picture source: U.S. Army)

In addition, the U.S. DoD is announcing a significant package of air defense capabilities, as well as artillery and tank ammunition, mortar systems, rockets, and anti-armor systems using $2.1 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds. The Presidential Drawdown is the 35th such drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine that the Biden Administration has authorized since August 2021.

The capabilities in this package include:
• Additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems;
• Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
• 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds;
• 120mm mortar rounds;
• 120mm and 105mm tank ammunition;
• 25mm ammunition;
• Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;
• Approximately 400 grenade launchers and 200,000 rounds of ammunition;
• 11 tactical vehicles to recover equipment;
• 61 heavy fuel tankers;
• 10 trucks and 10 trailers to transport heavy equipment;
• Testing and diagnostic equipment to support vehicle maintenance and repair;
• Spare parts and other field equipment.

Under USAI, the DoD will provide Ukraine with:
• Additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS);
• Nine counter-Unmanned Aerial System 30mm gun trucks;
• 10 mobile c-UAS laser-guided rocket systems;
• Three air surveillance radars;
• 30mm and 23mm anti-aircraft ammunition;
• 130mm and 122mm artillery rounds;
• 122mm GRAD rockets;
• Rocket launchers and ammunition;
• 120mm and 81mm mortar systems;
• 120mm, 81mm, and 60mm mortar rounds;
• 120mm tank ammunition;
• Javelin anti-armor systems;
• Anti-armor rockets;
• Precision aerial munitions;
• Approximately 3,600 small arms and more than 23,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition;
• Seven tactical vehicles to recover equipment;
• Eight heavy fuel tankers and 105 fuel trailers;
• Armored bridging systems;
• Four logistics support vehicles;
• Trucks and ten trailers to transport heavy equipment;
• Secure communications equipment;
• SATCOM terminals and services;
• Funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment.

Unlike Presidential Drawdown, USAI is an authority under which the United States procures capabilities from industry rather than delivering equipment that is drawn down from DoD stocks. The announcement of this USAI package represents the beginning of a contracting process to provide additional capabilities to Ukraine's Armed Forces.

Defense News April 2023