The United States has approved another $3.75 billion in military assistance for Ukraine, which will include for the first time the Sea Sparrow missile system.
According to the US State Department, the assistance package includes a $2.85 billion drawdown from stocks of the Department of Defense to be provided immediately to Ukraine and $225 million in foreign military financing to build the long-term capacity and support modernization of Ukraine’s military.
It also includes $682 million in foreign military financing for European partners and allies to help incentivize and backfill donations of military equipment to Ukraine.
“Pursuant to a delegation of authority from the President, today I am authorizing our 29th drawdown of US arms and equipment for Ukraine since August 2021,” Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken said.
“This $2.85 billion drawdown will provide Ukraine with Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, artillery systems, armored personnel carriers, surface to air missiles, ammunition, and other items.
Politico was the first to report that the new package will include the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow short-range anti-aircraft and anti-missile weapon system in service with navies around the world.
According to the report, Ukraine would use the missile with modified Soviet self-propelled surface-to-air missile launchers.
The Pentagon list of the equipment that is part of the package includes 50 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles with 500 TOW anti-tank missiles and 250,000 rounds of 25mm ammunition, 4,000 Zuni aircraft rockets, M113 armored personnel carriers, 55 mine resistant ambush protected vehicles (MRAPs), 138 HMMWVs, 18 155mm self-propelled howitzers and 18 ammunition support vehicles.
Also included are 70,000 155mm artillery rounds, 500 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds, 1,200 155mm rounds of remote anti-armor mine (RAAM) systems, 36 105mm towed howitzers and artillery rounds, additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), and sniper rifles, machine guns, and small arms among other items.
