WASHINGTON – The US will promote Ukraine as much as $138 million value of kit to keep up and improve its HAWK air protection techniques to assist defend in opposition to Russian drone and cruise missile assaults, a U.S. State Division official advised Reuters on Tuesday.
The U.S. started transport HAWK interceptor missiles to Ukraine in 2022 as an improve to the shoulder-launched Stinger air protection missile techniques – a smaller, shorter-range system.
Since then, Ukraine has obtained a number of air protection techniques, together with the U.S.-made Patriot system.
Tuesday’s emergency international army sale is value as a lot as $138 million, the official mentioned, talking on situation of anonymity.
Though Ukraine has run out of many sources of U.S. funds, Kyiv was given a grant of $300 million in international army financing as a part of the annual protection spending invoice not too long ago signed into regulation. The grant cash can be used to pay for the tools, which incorporates engineering and integration for communications and refurbishment of HAWK fireplace items.
As well as, the sale contains missile recertification parts for older items, instruments, take a look at and assist tools, spare components and extra.
The sale would require temporary-duty journey to Europe of an estimated 5 U.S. authorities workers and 15 contractor representatives to assist coaching and sustainment, the official mentioned.Presidential drawdown authority had been used beforehand to switch HAWK tools to Ukraine. That provision permits america to switch protection articles and companies from American shares shortly with out congressional approval in response to an emergency.
The MIM-23 HAWK – a reputation that started life as an acronym for “Homing All of the Approach Killer” – was first launched within the Fifties because the U.S. army sought methods to defeat raids by high-flying strategic bombers. It was upgraded over time to take care of jamming and different countermeasures, and ultimately exported to greater than a dozen nations, in accordance the U.S. Military Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Administration Command. REUTERS
