Reports from the US Pentagon that ships will be used to deliver military aid to Kyiv instead of planes. The information revealed from the Washington Post, which the Defense Department told them last Saturday, was the change via sea delivery.
Sea Deliveries of US Arms
At the beginning of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, the Defense department depended heavily on cargo planes to convey lethal aid to the Ukrainian government, reported RT.
It started using sea routes for some items a few weeks after the conflict began in late February.
However, the American maritime operation was "dramatically expanded" in the spring once Washington sent artillery pieces and other weapons, which also required large quantities of large-caliber munitions.
A statement from Army Col. Steven Putthoff, the deputy director of operations at US Transportation Command, added when howitzers were getting sent, there would be a need for a lot more ammunition.
Aircraft are much faster at hauling weapons from the United States to Europe, though ships can hold much more cargo, based on the paper, citing Zomaloma.
According to the the source, the change in the Pentagon's delivery mechanisms signaled a new phase in the conflict, as Ukraine and its partners prepared for what was expected to be a months-long, if not years-long, grind. US Pentagon refused to elaborate on the selected routes used by the Defense Department to convey military aid to Kyiv, said the report.
Throughout the conflict with Russia, Washington has been a staunch supporter of Kyiv, supplying it with billions of dollars in financial and military aid and intelligence data while the US is facing a recession.
Arms Provided by the Biden Administration
Many anti-aircraft Stinger missiles and Javelin anti-armor missiles, in addition to advanced hardware such as HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, M777 howitzers, and warfighting drones, have now been supplied by the US to the Ukrainian army.
The latest military aid package, worth $2.98 billion, was declared by US President Joe Biden in the middle of the week. Moscow has rebuked the US and its allies for providing arms to Kyiv, arguing that they only postponed the dispute and raised the likelihood of a direct confrontation between Moscow and NATO.
Air Defense for Ukraine
Raytheon, a US defense company, will fabricate the NASAMS systems by August 2024. The Department of Defense has agreed to shell out $182 million to build National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) for just the Ukrainian army, per Fars News.
The task of building the air defense weaponry will be done at Raytheon's establishments in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, with a date of completion of August 23, 2024, based on a statement released by the US Department of Defense last Friday.
Previously in the week, US Vice President Joe Biden confirmed another bundle of military assistance for Ukraine in the middle of its dispute with Russia. It will be the most expensive NASAMS system to date, costing $2.98 billion.
US Pentagon officials remarked that military aid for Kyiv will happen via sea lift, as Russia is destroyed supplies from the HIMARS, howitzers, and ATGM rockets. But reports of malfunction have been mentioned by Ukrainian soldiers.
