Pentagon Launches Massive New $2.98 Billion Support Package to Ukraine for Long Term

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By Kris Osborn – President, Center for Military Modernization

(Washington D.C.) – The Pentagon has launched a massive, large-scale shift in its continued support to Ukraine by authorizing the largest support package thus far during the war, incorporating $2.98 billion in both short and long term military assistance to Ukraine.

Pentagon Ukraine Military Assistance

The large authorization, which includes more air defenses, artillery, counter-artillery radars and ammunition, reaches far beyond near term efforts to supply Ukraine with weapons from US stocks to support the current and near term fight. The aid package, called Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), includes new provisions through which industry can produce its own new weapons and equipment for Ukraine to enable long-term deterrence, sustainment and combat as needed.

“When we take things out of our own stocks, we’re taking things out of our own stocks. And that puts certain constraints on what we can provide, on what timelines. When we do USAI, we are buying stuff on contract, and therefore the private sector can produce these things,” Colin Kahl, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, told reporters according to a Pentagon transcript. “The capabilities in this package are tailored to sustain Ukraine’s most critical capability needs in the medium- to long-term.”

As for the specifics, what Kahl announced is more of the same in some respects as it incorporates six more National Advanced Surface to Air Missile Systems, as many as 245,000 rounds of 155-millimeter artillery, 24 counter-artillery radar and up to 65,000 rounds of 120-millimeter mortar ammunition.

Interestingly, Kahl outlined a particular strategic or conceptual element to the new package, explaining it was specifically intended to counter Putin’s apparent wish to “outlast” Ukrainian resistance, in effect using “time” as a weapon of war.