#Sooner than later upgrade#

Secretary of State Antony Blinken announces 34th drawdown of U.S. “This week, as Russia’s unconscionable war of aggression against Ukraine continues at a great human cost, we are again reminded of the boundless courage and steadfast resolve of the Ukrainian people and the strong support for Ukraine across the international community,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said via a statement released Monday.

Testing and diagnostic equipment to support vehicle maintenance and repair and.

Thermal imagery systems, optics, and laser rangefinders.

Demolition munitions and equipment for obstacle clearing.

Grenade launchers, small arms, and associated ammunition.

81mm and 60mm mortar systems and mortar rounds.

High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs).

The military assistance package includes the following:Īmmunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) This would be the 34th presidential drawdown off the US arms reserves since August 2021, valued at up to $350 million. In another separate but related report, the Department of Defense, DoD, announced earlier this week that it would send additional security assistance to continue supporting Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s special military operations. “ don’t want to get into when you’re going to see the Patriot arrive in Ukraine, other than one day it will be there, and we’ll highlight that once the Ukrainians have done that,” the Pentagon Press Secretary added. “I’m not going to get into delivery timelines other than to say we’re confident that we’ll be able to get the Patriots there on an expedited timeline,” he explained.įurthermore, Ryder noted that Ukrainian soldiers trained to operate the system “ went faster than expected, just given their propensity and their eagerness to do the training.” It comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping showed off their alliance Tuesday. training of Ukrainian troops is moving faster than expected. The Pentagon says it's ahead of schedule to send Patriot missiles and Abrams tanks to Ukraine and that U.S. The promised advanced Patriot air defense will also be delivered sooner than anticipated. In addition, the US is also set to send advanced armor and weapons systems, including a 120mm cannon and 50-caliber heavy machine gun. Read Next: US Approves Another M1 Abrams Tank Sale to Poland After $4.7 Billion Deal in 2022Īccording to Reuters, the switch would boost the combat capability of Ukraine without too much hassle in training as the M1A1 variant runs on diesel, just like most of the Ukrainian fleet. However, when Germany finally gave the nod, allowing its Leopard main battle tanks to be sent to Ukrainian soil, the US also had a change of heart and permitted the delivery of Abrams. Not to mention its world-class optics, which enable the crew to spot targets up to 8,000 yards away.Įarlier this year, the Biden administration announced that it would send the revered tanks to Ukraine months after refusing to send them, saying that they “ were too complicated and too hard to maintain and repair” via AP News. Nevertheless, the troops would enjoy the steel pocket armor of the secondhand version with tungsten mesh.

#Sooner than later upgrade#

In exchange for swift delivery, Ukrainians have given up a chance to have a hunter-killer upgrade which is equipped in the M1A2.

Further improvements include upgrades on the IVIS software, intercom, and radio communications systems, among many others. “Again, this is about getting this important combat capability into the hands of the Ukrainians sooner rather than later, and we’ll be sure to keep you updated as additional information becomes available,” Ryder said.ĭespite sharing similar exterior features, the most notable difference between the two variants of the 70-ton battle powerhouses is the redesign of the Commander’s Weapon Station (CWS) and the newly incorporated Commander’s Independent Thermal Viewer on the left side of the turret forward near the loader’s hatch.Īdditionally, the M1A2 is equipped with an Inter-Vehicle Information System (IVIS) capable of seamless information sharing between vehicles, allowing unit commanders to track the position and progress of subordinates automatically. Both sides sought to give Ukrainian troops “ important combat capability … sooner rather than later,” adding that the refurbished and refitted older versions have “ very similar capability to the M1A2.” During the press briefing, Brigadier General Pat Ryder told reporters that the Department of Defense (DoD), in close coordination with Ukraine, has decided to provide the M1A1 variant.