RT.com
29 Sep 2022, 11:43 GMT+10
Officials also promised 18 more HIMARS systems, calling them a ?core component of Ukraine's fighting force?
The Pentagon has issued a list of American military aid approved for Ukraine so far this year, outlining nearly $17 billion in arms and gear, including tens of thousands of anti-tank systems, just shy of 1 million artillery rounds, and an array of heavy and long-range weapons platforms.
A "Fact Sheet on US Security Assistance to Ukraine" released by the Defense Department on Wednesday notes that Washington has authorized $16.9 billion in military aid for Kiev in 2022, the vast majority of which came after Moscow sent troops into the neighboring country in late February.
The list includes more than 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems, over 8,500 Javelin anti-tank weapons and 32,000 other anti-armor platforms, as well as some 988,000 Howitzer rounds, 60 million rounds of small-arms ammunition, and tens of thousands of mortars, rockets and grenades.
The Pentagon has also sent large quantities of heavy weapons, among them over 150 artillery pieces, 20 Mi-17 helicopters, 200 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers, hundreds of Humvees, and 16 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) - one of the longest-range platforms provided by Washington to date.
In addition to "non-lethal" gear such as helmets, body armor and mine-clearing equipment, the US supplied Ukraine with at least 700 Switchblade suicide drones and an undisclosed number of Claymore anti-personnel mines.
In its latest $1.1 billion aid package for Kiev announced on Wednesday, the Defense Department vowed to more than double the number of HIMARS units operated by the Ukrainian military, seeking to send another 18 on top of the 16 already authorized. However, officials noted it could take "a few years" before the rocket systems are ready for the battlefield, as they will not be pulled from existing US stocks but rather contracted to American arms manufacturers.
A senior Pentagon official told reporters the HIMARS are intended to serve as a "core component of Ukraine's fighting force in the future," explaining that it is a "sizable investment" designed to prepare Kiev for the "long haul."
The apparent shift to a longer-term approach comes as some military experts warn that Washington will not be able to keep up the pace of security assistance set over the last six months, with CNBC noting mounting problems in the American weapons supply chain in a report this week.
"There is a point where... the Ukrainians will need to be cautious about their rate of expenditure and where they prioritize those munitions, because there isn't an infinite supply," Jack Watling, an expert at the Royal United Services Institute in London, told the outlet.
While the US arms industry currently produces about 30,000 155mm howitzer rounds per year, the Ukrainian military is now burning through that number of shells in a period of just two weeks, CNBC added. Moreover, the better part of 9,000 Javelin launchers have been shipped to Ukraine, yet the usual annual output sits at just 800 units, suggesting the United States has drawn heavily on its stockpiles to keep Kiev flush with weapons.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Cincinnati Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Cincinnati Sun.
More InformationMOSCOW, Russia: This week, Russia became the first country to officially recognize the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan since...
CAIRO, Egypt: This week, both Hamas and Israel shared their views ahead of expected peace talks about a new U.S.-backed ceasefire plan....
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Trump administration has made public a visa decision that would usually be kept private. It did this to send...
MADRID, Spain: Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota and his younger brother, André Silva, have died in a car accident in Spain. Spanish...
LONDON, U.K.: An unrelenting heatwave sweeping across Europe has pushed early summer temperatures to historic highs, triggering deadly...
President Donald Trump's plans to build a space-based Golden Dome missile defense shield have drawn immediate criticism from China,...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: With just weeks to spare before a potential government default, U.S. lawmakers passed a sweeping tax and spending...
PARIS, France: Fast-fashion giant Shein has been fined 40 million euros by France's antitrust authority over deceptive discount practices...
PALO ALTO/TEL AVIV: The battle for top AI talent has claimed another high-profile casualty—this time at Safe Superintelligence (SSI),...
FRANKLIN, Tennessee: Hundreds of thousands of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles are being recalled across the United States due to a potential...
REDMOND, Washington: Microsoft is the latest tech giant to announce significant job cuts, as the financial strain of building next-generation...
LONDON UK - U.S. stock markets were closed on Friday for Independence Day. Global Forex Markets Wrap Up Friday with Greeback Comeback...