US prepares aid package – longer-range missiles

US prepares aid package – longer-range missiles

According to insiders, the United States is preparing a multi-billion dollar aid package for Ukraine, which for the first time will also include longer-range missiles. The $2.2 billion package, which is expected to be announced later this week, also includes equipment for Patriot air defense systems, precision munitions and Javelin anti-tank weapons, two US officials familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. The US President’s Office initially declined to comment.

According to one insider, most of the package – an estimated $1.725 billion – will come from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) fund. The USAI allows President Joe Biden’s administration to purchase weapons directly from industry and not from US gun inventories. The USAI funds would also be used to purchase a new weapon, Boeing’s Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), which has a range of around 150 kilometers. According to the manufacturer, the precision missile is GPS-guided, can overcome electronic jammers, works in all weather conditions and can be used against armored vehicles.

In addition to the USAI funds, according to the insiders, more than $400 million will come from the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which allows the President to draw on US holdings in emergencies without Congressional approval. These aids would include mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPs), guided multiple rocket launchers (GMLRS) and ammunition


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