The Drive:

Ukraine is to receive an undisclosed number of radar-guided RIM-7 Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles, or SAMs, which will be integrated onto the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ existing Soviet-era Buk air defense systems. The missiles are included as part of the latest U.S. aid package for Kyiv officially announced today, which significantly also includes M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.

The provision of Sea Sparrow missiles was first disclosed by Politico. Most interestingly, the same story, citing two unnamed people familiar with the matter, noted that Ukraine has already succeeded in integrating the U.S.-made missiles into its Buk system. No further details of this “bit of battlefield innovation” were provided. The integration with the Buk system was subsequently confirmed to The War Zone.

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