Ukraine is getting more US help and the new package is filled with key weapons

On July 29th, the Biden administration announced Washington had prepared an additional security assistance package for Ukraine worth over a billion dollars. The package included many important weapons as well as a lot of financial help. 

The total value of the new assistance package was valued at $1.7 billion, but $1.5 billion of the funds were earmarked for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, leaving $200 million dollars to provide more military assistance.

A Department of Defense press release reported the package included capabilities that would “augment Ukraine's air defenses, fires, and anti-tank weapons, as well as funding to sustain equipment previously committed by the United States.”

The United States will be providing air defense munitions for Kyiv’s National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), as well as more munitions for the country’s short and medium-range air defense systems. 

Ukraine will also be receiving RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles. The RIM-7 is a short-range, surface-to-air radar-guided missile that can protect against a wide variety of aerial threats according to the United States Navy. 

It is possible that the Sea Sparrow missiles being given to Ukraine will be used as part of the country's growing network of ‘FrankenSAM’ air defense systems, which are older Soviet air defense systems converted to fire U.S. munitions. 

In May 2024, The War Zone on a Ukrainian Soviet-era Buk-M1 air defense system that had been converted to fire the Rim-7 Sea Sparrow missile from “box-type launchers” in what appeared to be a four-missile arrangement according to the military news website.  

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons, Public Domain

The United States previously provided Kyiv with an undisclosed number of RIM-7 Sea Sparrows as part of an aid package announced in January 2023. However, the  RIM-7s in Ukraine’s latest aid package weren’t the most interesting weapon listed.

Photon Credit: Wiki Commons By 玄史生 - Own work, CC0

Ukraine is set to receive more ammo for its American and allied-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (Himars) as well as more 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds and 120mm mortar rounds. These are critical for Ukrainian success. 

Artillery has emerged as the most important weapon system in the conflict. In February 2024, Time reported that artillery accounted for roughly 80% of battlefield casualties in the war, noting that the weapon system “is both versatile and devastating.”

More artillery ammunition will help mitigate the issues Ukraine was having when it was not receiving American assistance and will help its armed forces to be more effective on the battlefield—as will a few other key weapons being sent to Ukraine. 

Kyiv will receive more Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles, Javelin missiles, and AT-4 anti-armor systems, all of which have proven track records of being extremely useful for taking out armored vehicles and tanks. 

The Ukrainians will also be provided with more precision munitions, explosive material, and demolition equipment, as well as a wealth of spare parts, maintenance and sustainment equipment, and other ancillary equipment to help support its armed forces. 

The most interesting aspects of the new help are probably the addition of more electronic warfare equipment, which has become vital for distributing enemy communications and drone signals on the battlefield, and the addition of commercial satellite services. 

The United States will also be giving Kyiv more small arms and secure communication systems. The press release from the Department of Defense reported that this was the 12th package of financial assistance to Ukraine and the 62nd tranche of equipment. 

“The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners to ensure Ukraine's brave defenders receive the critical capabilities needed to fight Russian aggression,” the press release noted. 

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