DECEMBER 30, 2024 – The Defense Department today announced it will be providing close to $2.5 billion in additional new security assistance support to Ukraine intended to reaffirm the department’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression.
The latest aid package includes a $1.25 billion presidential drawdown authority package, as well as $1.22 billion in additional funds through the Ukrainian Security Assistance Initiative, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told members of the media this morning.
“Together, these packages deliver critical capabilities such as air defense systems, munitions for artillery and rocket systems, anti-tank weapons, unmanned aerial systems and more,” Singh said.
She added that the aid packages mark the current administration’s 73rd drawdown package and the 23rd package provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development.
“[This assistance reflects] our continued efforts with our over 50 allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to be successful on the battlefield and to defend its sovereignty,” Singh said.
Founded under the direction of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III in response to Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, the UDCG is a coalition of some 50 nations that meet regularly to discuss Ukraine’s security needs.
Austin intends to convene the 25th meeting of the UDCG alongside Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in the new year where the capability coalitions will lay out their roadmaps toward “efficient and sustainable support for Ukraine,” a senior defense official said earlier this month.
When asked as to whether Austin intends to brief whomever the next administration’s incoming defense secretary is regarding the value of assistance the UDCG provides to Ukraine, Singh said that — while she can’t speak for the incoming secretary and whether that person might request a conversation on the UDCG — there are many people working within DOD who understand the importance of the group.
“The UDCG continues to be a convening forum to work with allies and partners in finding and providing Ukraine with what it needs, and [who are] working together as multiple countries literally come around the table,” Singh said.
Also, during the briefing, Singh remarked that DOD concurs with a recent White House assessment of how many North Korean casualties there have been as a result of fighting against Ukraine in Russia’s Kursk region.
“The White House recently announced that approximately 1,000 [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] soldiers have either been killed or wounded in the Kursk region. That’s our assessment as well,” Singh said.
She added that the assaults the North Korean soldiers are launching in the region are not proving significantly effective, and that the North Koreans are taking on a “significant amount” of casualties.
The United States has committed more than $66 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration, including approximately $65.4 billion since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion on February 24, 2022.
Air Defense
- Three Patriot air defense batteries and munitions;
- 12 National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and munitions;
- HAWK air defense systems and munitions;
- AIM-7, RIM-7, and AIM-9M missiles for air defense;
- More than 3,000 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles;
- Avenger air defense systems;
- VAMPIRE counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (c-UAS) and munitions;
- c-UAS gun trucks and ammunition;
- Mobile c-UAS laser-guided rocket systems;
- Other c-UAS equipment;
- Anti-aircraft guns and ammunition;
- Air defense systems components;
- Equipment to integrate Western launchers, missiles, and radars with Ukraine’s systems;
- Equipment to support and sustain Ukraine’s existing air defense capabilities; and
- 21 air surveillance radars.
Fires
- More than 40 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and ammunition;
- Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb launchers and guided rockets;
- More than 200 155mm Howitzers and more than 3,000,000 155mm artillery rounds;
- More than 7,000 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds;
- More than 100,000 155mm rounds of Remote Anti-Armor Mine (RAAM) Systems;
- 72 105mm Howitzers and 1,000,000 105mm artillery rounds;
- 10,000 203mm artillery rounds;
- More than 400,000 152mm artillery rounds;
- Approximately 40,000 130mm artillery rounds;
- 40,000 122mm artillery rounds;
- 60,000 122mm GRAD rockets;
- More than 300 mortar systems;
- More than 700,000 mortar rounds;
- More than 100 counter-artillery and counter-mortar radars; and
- More than 50 multi-mission radars;
Ground Maneuver
- 31 Abrams tanks;
- 45 T-72B tanks;
- More than 300 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles;
- Four Bradley Fire Support Team vehicles;
- More than 400 Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers;
- More than 900 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers;
- More than 400 M1117 Armored Security Vehicles;
- More than 1,000 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles;
- More than 5,000 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs);
- More than 200 light tactical vehicles;
- 300 armored medical treatment vehicles;
- 80 trucks and more than 200 trailers to transport heavy equipment;
- More than 1,000 tactical vehicles to tow and haul equipment;
- 153 tactical vehicles to recover equipment;
- 10 command post vehicles;
- 30 ammunition support vehicles;
- 27 armored bridging systems;
- 20 logistics support vehicles and equipment;
- 239 fuel tankers and 105 fuel trailers;
- 58 water trailers;
- Six armored utility trucks;
- 125mm, 120mm, and 105mm tank ammunition;
- More than 1,800,000 rounds of 25mm ammunition; and
- Mine clearing equipment.
Aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Systems
- 20 Mi-17 helicopters;
- Switchblade Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS);
- Phoenix Ghost UAS;
- CyberLux K8 UAS;
- Altius-600 UAS;
- Jump-20 UAS;
- Hornet UAS
- Puma UAS;
- Scan Eagle UAS;
- Penguin UAS;
- Raven UAS;
- Other UAS;
- Two radars for UAS;
- High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs);
- Air-to-ground munitions;
- More than 6,000 Zuni aircraft rockets;
- More than 20,000 Hydra-70 aircraft rockets; and
- Munitions for UAS.
Anti-armor and Small Arms
- More than 10,000 Javelin anti-armor systems;
- More than 120,000 other anti-armor systems and munitions;
- More than 10,000 Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;
- More than 50,000 grenade launchers and small arms;
- More than 500,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades;
- Laser-guided rocket systems and munitions;
- Rocket launchers and ammunition; and
- Anti-armor mines.
Maritime
- Two Harpoon coastal defense systems and anti-ship missiles;
- More than 100 coastal and riverine patrol boats;
- Unmanned Coastal Defense Vessels; and
- Port and harbor security equipment.
Other capabilities
- M18A1 Claymore anti-personnel munitions;
- C-4 explosives, demolition munitions, and demolition equipment for obstacle clearing;
- Obstacle emplacement equipment;
- Counter air defense capability;
- More than 100,000 sets of body armor and helmets;
- Tactical secure communications systems and support equipment;
- Four satellite communications (SATCOM) antennas;
- SATCOM terminals and services;
- Electronic warfare (EW) and counter-EW equipment;
- Commercial satellite imagery services;
- Night vision devices, surveillance and thermal imagery systems, optics, and rangefinders;
- Equipment to protect critical national infrastructure;
- Explosive ordnance disposal equipment and protective gear;
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear protective equipment;
- Medical supplies, including first aid kits, bandages, monitors, and other equipment;
- Field equipment, cold weather gear, generators, and spare parts; and
- Support for training, maintenance, and sustainment activities.
The United States also continues to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with additional capabilities to defend itself.
By Matthew Olay, DOD News