The Biden administration on Monday announced a $200 million arms package for Ukraine using funds made available by a Pentagon “accounting error” that includes munitions for Patriot air defense systems, HIMARS rocket systems, and other equipment.
In June, the Pentagon claimed it overvalued weapons sent to Ukraine through the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which allows the administration to send arms directly from US military stockpiles. The Pentagon said this “error” freed up an additional $6.2 billion for spending on military aid to Ukraine.
The arms package announced Monday marked the first time the administration dipped into these funds. “This security assistance package will utilize assistance previously authorized under [PDA] for Ukraine that remained after the PDA revaluation process concluded in June,” the Pentagon said.
The $200 million arms package includes the following:
- Additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems
- Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS)
- Mine clearing equipment and systems
- 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds
- 120mm tank ammunition
- Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles
- Javelin and other anti-armor systems and rockets
- 37 tactical vehicles to tow and haul equipment
- 58 water trailers
- Over 12 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades
- Demolitions munitions for obstacle clearing
- Spare parts, maintenance, and other field equipment
The Pentagon also released a fact sheet on Monday that said the US has pledged over $43 billion in military equipment for Ukraine since Russia invaded on February 24, 2022. Congress has authorized a total of $113 billion in spending on the war, which also includes economic aid, money for the Pentagon to replenish stockpiles of weapons that have been sent to Ukraine, and funding for US troops deployments in Eastern Europe.
Last week, the White House asked Congress to authorize an additional $24 billion in spending on the war. The request includes $13 billion in military aid and $7.3 billion in economic and humanitarian assistance. It also includes $3.3 billion for infrastructure projects for regional countries impacted by the war.
Source: AntiWar.
