DOD begins contracting to get weapons to Ukraine

While the Defense Department continues to use hundreds of millions of dollars in "drawdown authority" granted by President Biden to transfer weapons to Ukraine from existing U.S. stocks, the Pentagon announced Friday it would also begin buying $300 million in new systems for Ukraine from defense contractors.

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said today the decision underscores the U.S. commitment to Ukraine, noting DOD would also continue to move an $800 million package of weapons through presidential drawdown authority.

“We’re going to continue to support Ukraine’s ability to defense itself, we’re going to do that as much as we can, as fast as we can,” he said.

The $300 million in planned purchases includes: laser-guided rocket systems; Switchblade Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems; Puma UAS; Counter-UAS capabilities; armored humvees; small-to-large-caliber non-standard ammunition; night vision devices, thermal imagery systems, and optics; tactical secure communications systems; non-standard machine guns; commercial satellite imagery services; medical supplies, field equipment, and spare parts.

The Pentagon said the United States has now committed more than $2.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration, including more than $1.6 billion in security assistance since the Russian invasion.