U.S. rady to send next package of military aid to Ukraine, including air defense missiles - media
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden will provide Ukraine with $150 million worth of weapons and ammunition, including HAWK air defense missiles and 155mm artillery ammunition, two U.S. officials said on Friday, Reuters reports.
The arms aid package is expected to be unveiled on Monday, the officials said, declining to be named because the package had not been made public.
It is noted that the United States began supplying Ukraine with HAWK missiles in 2022 as an upgrade to the Stinger man-portable air defense systems, a more compact system with a shorter range.
HAWK stands for Homing All the Way Killer. It was introduced in the 1950s and was modified over the years to combat jamming and other countermeasures. According to the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, it was eventually exported to more than a dozen countries, Reuters reports.
According to the agency, in addition to HAWK missiles and 155mm artillery ammunition, the package will include other ammunition and equipment to support Ukraine's defense needs. It states that the package will come from the Presidential Drawdown Authority, a mechanism that allows the president to quickly transfer defense goods and services from U.S. stockpiles to support allies.
It is also emphasized that since 2022, the United States has provided Ukraine with military assistance worth more than $50 billion.