On July 21, 2022, the US Department of Defense announced the provision of another new package of military assistance to Ukraine totaling $ 270 million. Thus, the total amount of US military aid officially allocated to Kiev since the beginning of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine on February 24 now reaches $7.54 billion. The total amount of US military aid to Ukraine since 2014 has reached $9.47 billion.
The first combat vehicles of the American M142 HIMARS missile system received by the armed forces of Ukraine, July 2022 (with) photos from social networks
According to the US Department of Defense, the new package of military assistance to Ukraine, as well as the packages announced on June 15 and July 1, is divided into two parts. $ 175 million is allocated by the orders of the US President within his administrative powers (Presidential Drawdown of Security Assistance - PDA) and represents the operational allocation of property from the presence of the US Department of Defense. Another $95 million is allocated from the budget in accordance with the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) program and represents a new tranche of $9 billion in military assistance to Ukraine approved by the US Congress as part of the well-known package of assistance to Ukraine and other Eastern European allies of the United States in the amount of $ 40 billion. These funds are directed to the production and purchase of new military equipment for Ukraine.
It is reported that as part of a package of $ 175 million for PDA, Ukraine will be provided from the availability of:
- four combat vehicles of the M142 HIMARS missile system [in addition to the previously allocated 12] and an additional number of GMLRS guided missiles for these complexes;
- four command and staff vehicles of an unspecified type;
- 36 thousand artillery rounds of 105 mm caliber [in addition to the 36 thousand such shots announced earlier - for 105 mm light towed guns L119 transferred to Ukraine by Great Britain];
- additional anti-tank weapons, spare parts and other property.
In turn, within the $95 million clause under the USAI program for Ukraine, the next "up to 580" Phoenix Ghost barrage ammunition complexes should be purchased.
Recall that for the first time Phoenix Ghost barrage ammunition, as stated, in the shortest possible time specially developed under the auspices of the US Air Force in accordance with the requirements of the armed forces of Ukraine, was announced to be delivered to Ukraine in the amount of 121 complexes on April 21. However, to date, no information has appeared in open sources about the combat use of devices in Ukraine that could be clearly identified as Phoenix Ghost.
The developer and manufacturer of Phoenix Ghost is the Californian company AEVEX Aerospace, which is a long-time contractor of the US Department of Defense and the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM).
Referring to the announced delivery of additional HIMARS complexes to Ukraine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces, General Mark Milley, said at a press conference on July 20:
"Today, Ukrainians are effectively using these HIMARS, striking at Russian control centers, their logistics networks, their field artillery near defensive facilities and many other targets.
These strikes are steadily undermining Russia's ability to supply its troops, command and control its forces, and wage an illegal aggressive war.
The fact that the Ukrainians were able to deploy these complexes quickly speaks to their abilities, ingenuity, artillery abilities, the abilities of the gunners, their determination and their desire to fight.
To date, we have transferred 12 HIMARS to Ukraine. This is part of more than 20 transferred by the United States and our allies [meaning 16 HIMARS complex machines transferred to the United States, and three upgraded MLRS complex machines transferred by Great Britain and Germany]. 200 Ukrainians are also studying at HIMARS, and this training continues with many others. And we handed over, as the [US] Secretary of Defense indicated, hundreds of GMLRS ammunition.
When the US president signs a permit to provide weapons or ammunition to Ukrainians, this property begins to be transported within a few days. On average, 48 to 72 hours before the initial shipments. And in just a week or so, it's in the hands of Ukrainians, on the front line."
".. It is important to integrate these complexes to create effects on the battlefield that will create opportunities for Ukrainians. And this will begin to change the dynamics in some cases on the battlefield.
You have seen how they [Ukrainians] destroy - use HIMARS to destroy command and control nodes, ammunition supply points and a number of other facilities, and this affects the pace of hostilities and potentially creates some opportunities there.
So there is still a lot to do. HIMARS alone will not change, win or lose the battle, but it is the integration of a number of features that we have provided and plan to provide in the future."
Regarding the statements about the losses of HIMARS combat vehicles transferred to Ukraine, General Mark Milli said: "To date, these systems have not been destroyed by the Russians, and I knock on wood every time I say something like that" [according to the meaning of the statement, not a single machine has been destroyed yet].
In turn, Assistant to the President of the United States for National Security Jake Sullivan, speaking at the Aspen Institute Security Forum on July 22, said that the United States will not yet transfer to Ukraine operational-tactical ATACMS missiles with a firing range of 300 km, which can be used from combat vehicles of the HIMARS complex.
"There are certain things that, according to the US president, he is not ready to transfer, these include ATACMS long-range missiles with a range of 300 kilometers," Sullivan said. - "One key goal of the United States is to do everything necessary to support and protect Ukraine, and the other key goal is not to be on the road to World War III."
