Pentagon reveals contents of $2.4 billion defense aid package for Ukraine

The U.S. Department of Defense has revealed the contents of the $2.4 billion defense aid package for Ukraine.

In particular, these funds will be used to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and defense industry.

This is stated on the Pentagon’s website.

This large aid package was allocated under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). This initiative allows for the purchase of weapons and equipment from industry instead of withdrawing them from U.S. stockpiles.

The capabilities in this announcement include:

• Munitions and support for Ukrainian air defense systems;
• Air-to-ground munitions;
• Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and components to support Ukrainian production of UAS;
• Counter-UAS equipment; Unmanned surface vessels;
• Secure communications equipment;
• Equipment and materiel to support Ukrainian munitions production; and
• Spare parts, maintenance and sustainment support, and other ancillary equipment.

This is the Biden Administration’s twenty-first USAI package.

This is part of the nearly $8 billion in new defense aid from the United States that Biden announced on Thursday, September 26.

The US President also directed the Department of Defense to provide Ukraine with an additional Patriot air defense battery and missiles for these SAMs in order to help Ukraine protect its cities and its citizens.

According to Biden, this is a continuation of his decision earlier this year to redirect U.S. exports of anti-aircraft missiles to provide Ukraine with “hundreds of additional Patriot and AMRAAM missiles” over the next year.

This will be the second battery of Patriot air defense systems that Ukraine has received from the United States recently.

As previously reported, the United States approved the transfer of Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) bombs capable of hitting targets at a distance of 130 kilometers.

In addition, the United States will expand training for Ukrainian F-16 pilots, increasing the number of trained pilots.