USA: Biden administration announced new arms package for Ukraine, including precision missiles with a range of 150 km
The administration of US President Joe Biden on Friday announced a new military aid package for Ukraine worth a total of more than $2.2 billion. For the first time, it will include GLSDB missiles with a range of 150 km, which will double the firing range of the Ukrainian army.
In addition to the rockets, the package also includes e.g. two Hawk air defense kits, anti-aircraft guns, anti-drone systems, Puma drones, equipment needed to integrate Western air defense systems and four airborne radars. The US will also give Ukraine additional ammunition for HIMARS systems, 181 MRAP armored vehicles, additional artillery ammunition and 250 Javelin anti-tank missiles.
Pentagon spokesman Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed during a press conference that Washington would provide Kiev with Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) systems. These are missiles fired from HIMARS and MLRS launchers, combining M26 rocket motors with small SDB aerial bombs and enabling precision strikes at ranges of up to 150 km. The missiles launched from HIMARS, which were previously owned by Ukraine, had a range of 70-80 km.
Most of the package – $ 1.75 billion. z 2.2 billion – will be transferred under the Ukraine Assistance Security Initiative (USAI) program, i.e. the weapons will be obtained from manufacturers, and not transferred from US warehouses, which usually means longer delivery times.
This is the 32nd arms package for Ukraine donated by the US. The total value of the equipment promised by the US since February 2022, i.e. the beginning of the Russian invasion, is over USD 29.3 billion.
From Washington Oskar Górzyński (PAP)
