US Secretary of Defense details new military aid for Ukraine including tanks and air defense systems.

During the latest Ukraine Defense Contact Group that was held in Brussels on February 14, 2023, the United States Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin details the latest military aid packages for Ukraine including Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) and air defense systems coming from European countries and Canada.
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U.S. and European countries will provide more air defense systems and tanks to Ukraine.

European countries and the United States of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) have made it clear that all members will support Ukraine's fight for freedom over the long haul and help Ukraine hold and advance during the spring counteroffensive. With unity and urgency, the U.S. and European countries will again deliver the support that we have promised to Ukraine. The UDCG will put capabilities into the hands of trained Ukrainian forces so that they can be integrated together on the battlefield.

Members of UDCG have committed nearly $50 billion in lethal assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia's all-out invasion last February 24th, 2022, and UDCG coordination is making a real difference in real-time.

The United States, Germany, and the Netherlands are working together to provide Patriot air defense missile systems to Ukraine while France and Italy agree on the supply to Ukraine of one SAMP/T a theatre anti-missile system designed to protect the battlefield and sensitive tactical sites (such as airports and seaports) against all current and future airborne threats, including cruise missiles, manned and unmanned aircraft, and tactical ballistic missiles in the 600 km range class.

A consortium of countries, including Germany, Poland, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands are working together to provide Leopard 2 and Leopard 1A5 main battle tanks to Ukraine. According to the latest information, the following is the breakdown of the number of Leopard 2 tanks that each country will provide to Ukraine: Canada will provide four Leopard 2A4 tanks, Denmark's contribution is unknown, Germany will provide 14 Leopard 2A6 tanks, the Netherlands' contribution is unknown, Norway will provide eight Leopard 2A4 tanks, Poland will provide 14 Leopard 2A4 tanks, Portugal will provide three Leopard 2A6 tanks, and Spain will provide six Leopard 2A4 tanks.

The United States, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands are jointly providing more than 90 T-72 tanks. This is in addition to Poland's latest donation of T-72s. The Czech company Excalibur Army provided Ukraine with T-72EA, a modernized version of the Soviet-made T-72M and T-72M1 main battle tanks equipped with a new armor package. The tank is also modernized with a new radio communication system, a new digital dashboard for the driver, new night vision systems, a thermal camera, and Eye-Safe Laser Range Finder. It is also motorized with new powerpack components to increase the power of the engine from 780 to 840 hp.

The U.K. has provided 14 British-made 14 Challenger 2 main battle tanks and has worked with several countries to source more ammunition for Ukraine's defenders, and we're working together on training for the Ukrainian Armed Forces through bilateral and multilateral training initiatives like the European Union's military assistance mission.