2022-09-29T14:17:00+03:00 Politics 2024-08-15T05:33:01+03:00

Ukrainian news

Few Years. Pentagon Announces Terms Of Delivery Of 18 New HIMARS To Ukraine

Few Years. Pentagon Announces Terms Of Delivery Of 18 New HIMARS To Ukraine

The latest package of U.S. military aid includes a wide range of important combat equipment, but some, including the new HIMARS systems, is aimed at supporting Ukraine's long-term defense needs.

This was stated by a high-ranking representative of the Pentagon during a briefing on Wednesday, European Pravda reports.

The latest aid package includes 18 highly mobile artillery rocket systems along with the corresponding ammunition. As part of the USAI program, the United States will purchase these systems from the manufacturer for delivery to Ukraine, rather than withdrawing them directly from the U.S. military stockpile, as was done previously with the 16 HIMARS jet systems sent to Ukraine.

According to a senior official of the U.S. Department of Defense, the arrival of the last HIMARS promised to Ukraine may take some time.

"The procurement and delivery of these HIMARS systems and related ammunition will take several years. Today's announcement is just the beginning of the procurement process," the official said.

While Ukraine's long-term procurement of the newly made HIMARS does not prevent the U.S. from continuing to withdraw existing systems from the arsenal if necessary, it serves the greater purpose of having these systems under contract and in reserve for later delivery, the government official said.

"If we don't invest today to buy HIMARS for the future, they won't be there when the Ukrainian Armed Forces need them in the future," the official said. "This is a really significant investment, and it's designed to ensure that in the future Ukraine has what it needs for the long term to deter future threats. This in no way precludes the fact that we will continue to invest in their current forces, taking advantage of the capabilities that available today, and which we can get today from American stockpiles," he explained.

As noted, planning the future defense needs of Ukraine after the end of the war is not a new concept. In April, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held the first of a series of meetings of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group. The first meeting took place in Germany. Then the minister emphasized the need to ensure not only Ukraine's urgent needs, but also its future defense needs.

"Ukraine needs our help to win today. And they will still need our help when the war is over," Austin said.

Also included in the latest U.S. aid package are 150 Humvees, 150 tactical vehicles, explosive ordnance disposal equipment, body armor and a number of tactical secure communication systems, surveillance and optics systems.

The Pentagon official also said the package includes 20 multi-function radars that can track aerial objects and threats, including mortar and artillery fire, as well as enemy drones.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the United States Department of Defense has announced the provision of additional assistance to Ukraine in the amount of USD 1.1 billion, in which the Ukrainian military will receive 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), ammunition for them and other military equipment.

On September 8, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, General Mark Milley, said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine were able to influence the Russian army using highly mobile HIMARS missile systems and their counterparts.

On August 17, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have not lost a single HIMARS complex since their receipt from the United States.

At the end of August, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, General Mark Milley, confirmed that the Ukrainian military did not lose a single HIMARS.