The U.S. has approved a new $175 million weapons aid package for Ukraine, which includes plans to provide Kyiv with 120mm depleted uranium munitions to be fired from Abrams tanks.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the latest security assistance ahead of a meeting in Kyiv with Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymr Zelenskyy, along with $100 million in new Foreign Military Financing funds “to support longer-term military requirements.”
“We are determined in the United States to continue to walk side by side with you. And President Biden asked me to come, to reaffirm strongly our support, to ensure that we are maximizing the efforts that we’re making and other countries are making for the immediate challenge of the counteroffensive as well as the longer-term efforts to help Ukraine build a force for the future that can deter and defend against any future aggression, but also to work with you and support you as you engage in the critical work of strengthening your democracy, rebuilding your economy,” Blinken said on Wednesday.
The FMF funds for Ukraine are grants that can be used to purchase U.S.-made defense equipment.
The $175 million in new weapons aid, which is the 46th package drawn from existing Pentagon inventories, also includes more ammunition for Lockheed Martin [LMT]-built HIMARS launchers, more 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, 81mm mortars systems and rounds, TOW missiles and Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems.
The Pentagon noted the package also includes “equipment to support Ukraine’s air defense systems,” tactical air navigation systems and secure communications systems and over 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition.
The U.S.’ announcement of plans to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing depleted uranium rounds for the first time arrives as Kyiv is soon set to receive the first General Dynamics Land Systems [GD]-built Abrams tanks.
The Biden administration announced plans in late January to supply Ukraine with 31 Abrams tanks as part of a $400 million weapons aid package to be procured with Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds, aiming to deliver the refurbished M1A1 tanks this fall.
Doug Bush, the Army’s top acquisition official, told reporters last month the U.S. government had accepted the initial group of refurbished M1A1 Abrams for Ukraine (Defense Daily, Aug. 11).
“Of the initial set of tanks for Ukraine, the last one has been produced and is ready to be shipped. So that’s an important step in the process,” Bush said. “So they are done. Now they have to get to Europe and then to Ukraine along with all the things that go with them, ammunition, spare parts, fuel equipment, repair facilities. So it’s not just the tanks, as I’ve said before, it’s the full package that goes with it. That’s still on track.”
Northrop Grumman [NOC] has previously announced plans to transition out of its prime contracting role for depleted uranium ammunition once it completed its final contract, with the weapon having garnered concerns due to potential long-term health effects from exposure to toxic chemical and radioactive elements (Defense Daily, Jan. 27 2022).