Defense News:

The Pentagon announced Wednesday it will contract with industry for $1.1 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including 18 High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and other arms to counter drones Russia has been using against Ukrainian troops.

The new weapons and equipment, being provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, are aimed at meeting Kyiv’s mid- and long-term needs and could take six to 24 months to arrive. The Biden administration, which has committed aid worth $17 billion to Ukraine, has been using presidential drawdown authority to send arms more quickly.

The latest package includes 18 of the Lockheed Martin-made HIMARS and associated ammunition, which Ukraine has used to target Russian supplies. It also incudes 12 Titan systems, which detect, track and disrupt drones, as Russia has employed Iranian-made drones in the conflict.

A senior Pentagon official told reporters that the newly committed HIMARS systems are intended to be a “core component of Ukraine’s fighting force in the future.” Earlier this year, Ukraine received 16 HIMARS from U.S. military stockpiles and 10 equivalent systems from western allies, but the new HIMARS will take “a few years“ to deliver, the official said.

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