US army personnel stand by a M142 Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) throughout Saudi Arabias first World Protection Present, north of the capital Riyadh, on March 6, 2022.
Fayez Nureldine | Afp | Getty Pictures
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is about to ship its fifteenth safety help package deal to Ukraine, bringing the tally of U.S. army and humanitarian assist to greater than $7 billion since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.
A senior U.S. Protection official, who spoke on situation of anonymity with the intention to share particulars of the extra safety help, mentioned the $400 million weapons package deal was coordinated with Ukrainian officers and is tailor-made to the broader Russian assault in jap Ukraine.
Heavy artillery platforms, like howitzers and Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Programs, or HIMARS, sit excessive on Ukrainian army want lists.
The official mentioned that the newest safety package deal will embrace 4 further HIMARS, which brings the overall variety of HIMARS transfers to Ukraine from U.S. arsenals to 12.
The HIMARS, manufactured by protection big Lockheed Martin, are designed to shoot quite a lot of missiles from a cell 5-ton truck. The official mentioned that U.S. troops will hold coaching Ukrainian forces on the best way to use the platform at a location outdoors the nation.
US M142 Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers hearth salvoes in the course of the “African Lion” army train within the Grier Labouihi area in southeastern Morocco on June 9, 2021.
Fadel Senna | AFP | Getty Pictures
“We are going to proceed to coach them as a result of we see this as a sustained battle,” the official mentioned, including that HIMARS coaching takes roughly every week to finish.
The official declined to elaborate when pressed by reporters on what number of Ukrainian troops have thus far accomplished coaching on the HIMARS platform.
Learn extra: Right here’s a take a look at the firepower the U.S. has dedicated to Ukraine in its battle towards Russia
The particular person added that the newest safety help shall be a combination of methods already deployed to the battle in addition to new capabilities.
The official mentioned that the newest tranche of weapons will embrace further ammunition for HIMARS, 155 mm howitzers and rounds of ammunition for the howitzers.
That is breaking information. Please verify again for updates.
