DECEMBER 22, 2022 – Yesterday, the Defense Department announced $1.85 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine, including a Patriot air defense battery and munitions.
A senior Defense Department official and a senior U.S. military official briefed the media today at the Pentagon.
“Patriot is one of the world’s most advanced air defense systems, and it will give Ukraine a critical long-range capability to defend its airspace. It is capable of intercepting cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and aircraft. It’s important to put the Patriot battery in context. For air defense, there is no silver bullet. Our goal is to help Ukraine strengthen a layered integrated approach to air defense. … Patriot will complement a range of medium and short-range air defense capabilities that we have provided and the allies have provided in prior donation packages,” the senior DOD official said.
Patriot will contribute to Ukraine’s air defense systems that have been supplied by the U.S. and allies over the last number of months according to DOD.
The Patriot is a sophisticated air defense system so training will be required and will take some time, said the senior DOD official.
Rundown On Today’s Security Assistance Package
The security assistance announced today includes the authorization of a presidential drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $1 billion, as well as $850 million in assistance via the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
The presidential drawdown authority, which includes the Patriot battery, is the 28th drawdown of equipment from DOD inventories for Ukraine that the administration has authorized since August 2021. Capabilities in this package include:
- Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems;
- 500 precision-guided 155 mm artillery rounds;
- 10 120 mm mortar systems and 10,000 120 mm mortar rounds;
- 10 82 mm mortar systems;
- 10 60 mm mortar systems;
- 37 Cougar Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles;
- 120 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles;
- Six armored utility trucks;
- High-speed anti-radiation missiles;
- Precision aerial munitions;
- 2,700 grenade launchers and small arms;
- Claymore anti-personnel munitions;
- Demolition munitions and equipment;
- Night vision devices and optics;
- Tactical secure communications systems;
- Body armor and other field equipment.
Under USAI, the DOD will also provide Ukraine with:
- 45,000 152 mm artillery rounds;
- 20,000 122 mm artillery rounds;
- 50,000 122 mm GRAD rockets;
- 100,000 rounds of 125 mm tank ammunition;
- Satellite communications terminals and services;
- Funding for training, maintenance and sustainment.
Unlike presidential drawdown, the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative is an authority under which the United States procures capabilities from industry rather than delivering equipment that is drawn down from DOD stocks. This announcement represents the beginning of a contracting process to provide additional capabilities to Ukraine’s armed forces.
The Patriot system will augment previous air defense capabilities the United States has provided Ukraine.
To meet Ukraine’s evolving battlefield requirements, the United States will continue to work with its allies and partners to provide Ukraine with key capabilities, according to a DOD news release.
By David Vergun, DOD News