Medium-Range Missiles Among New Weapons And Ammo Donated By U.S. To Ukraine

The latest package of military aid being donated by America to Ukraine includes the Joint StandOff Weapon (JSOW), HIMARS ammunition, and Javelin anti-armour systems.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced last week a further $375 million-worth of military hardware would be sent to its European ally to help it fend off the Russian invasion. The latest round of donations brings the cumulative total gifted to the Ukraine since Russia's February 2022 incursion to roughly $56.3 billion.

As per a DoD press statement, the equipment will be drawn from U.S. forces' existing inventories and will include air-to-ground munitions; ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System; 155 mm and 105 mm artillery ammunition; Javelin and AT4 anti-armor systems; and M1117 armored security vehicles. 

"As part of this effort, the Department of Defense will allocate the remaining Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds by the end of this year," President Biden said in a statement. "I also have authorized $5.5 billion in presidential drawdown authority to ensure this authority does not expire so that my administration can fully utilize the funding appropriated by Congress to support the drawdown of U.S. equipment for Ukraine and then replenish U.S. stockpiles." 

The White House also said the DoD will provide $2.4 billion in security assistance through USAI, furnishing Ukraine with additional air defences (including an additional Patriot battery and missiles), unmanned aerial systems and air-launched missiles and bombs. 

The President also specifically said he has agreed to provide Ukraine with the precision-strike Joint StandOff Weapon (JSOW). Manufactured by Raytheon, the JSOW is an air-launched, network-linked air-to-ground missile with a 100km range. It uses a GPS navigation system and thermal-imaging infrared targeting and can be used against land or sea targets.

• You can read more details on the U.S. DoD website