U.S. Announces $400 Million Security Aid Package for Ukraine Including HIMARS and NASAMS Ammunition.

In a statement dated May 10, 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense announced a new delivery of support to Ukraine, amounting to $400 million. This assistance is primarily composed of vehicles and munitions, meeting the urgent needs of the Ukrainians as the offensive is currently under Russian control in the north, but also along the entire front.
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Himars in Ukraine in 2023 (Picture source: Ukraine MoD on X )

The newly announced aid includes critical defense equipment drawn from DoD inventories to address Ukraine’s urgent battlefield needs. The package features a broad spectrum of advanced weaponry and support systems crucial for both offensive strikes and defensive postures against Russian forces.

No specific volume has been mentioned yet, but we know that the package includes weapons requested by Ukraine, such as munitions for the Patriot missile system, HIMARS munitions, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, 155mm and 105mm artillery shells, Bradley combat vehicles, and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, as well as M113s. It is also specified in the statement that smart aerial munitions will be delivered, which we can assume will include JDAMs and HARM missiles. Interestingly, ships are announced as pending delivery, specifically coastal and riverine patrol boats. This could indicate, considering the front line considerations, a Ukrainian intention to equip themselves with maritime capabilities suitable for the Dnieper, but also for the coasts still under Ukrainian control, with Odessa being a point of tension.

Currently, in terms of vehicles, about 200 M113s have been confirmed delivered to Ukraine, M113s that allow transporting troops while maximizing protection during travel and for the embarked units. Although forty HIMARS were promised, only twenty have been confirmed delivered, and at least five are now destroyed.

Regarding the NASAMS, Norwegian-made anti-aircraft systems known for their reliability, the United States announced the delivery of 12 NASAMS, with an additional five coming from European partners. However, only six have actually been delivered and are in service in the Ukrainian forces. Similarly for the Patriots, today faced with regular bombings and missile strikes, the Ukrainians express the need for air defense systems and munitions. This is considered one of the major challenges for the continuation of Ukrainian operations.

This statement on the delivery of equipment is welcomed by the Ukrainians, as it meets a real need of theirs. However, it remains to be seen whether it will suffice until the first arrivals from the $60 billion package announced in April 2024.