The Americans have announced another military aid package for Ukraine. President Joe Biden approved the package of four HIMARS rocket artillery systems along with rockets, 36,000 rounds of ammunition and 580 Phoenix Ghost kamikaze drones.
The further aid to Ukraine was announced by the Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council John Kirby. He added that the new sixteenth package amounts to $270 million.
It includes four launchers of the high mobility artillery rocket systems HIMARS, 36,000 rounds of 155mm calibre artillery ammunition and 580 Phoenix Ghost kamikaze drones. The US has so far shipped 12 HIMARS and 121 Phoenix Ghost systems to Ukraine. The drones, valued at $100m, will be procured for Ukraine directly from the manufacturer.
Kirby announced that the US will soon announce another aid package for Ukraine in the “near future.” Since 24 February, Washington has donated weapons worth $7.3 billion to Ukraine.
The White House representative also confirmed that the Pentagon is in “preliminary” consideration of providing Ukraine with US fighter jets. However, he cautioned that this would not happen soon.
“You have to think about things like training, maintenance, upkeep, spare parts. For that, you need the whole supply chain that comes with these aircraft and all of that has to be taken into account,” Kirby said.
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The first MLRS M270 arrived in Ukraine. “They will be good company for HIMARS.”