US delivers 83% of promised ammunition and 67% of air defence systems to Ukraine – Pentagon

Since the US Congress approved additional funding for Ukraine in April 2024, the US has delivered 83% of the promised ammunition, 67% of the pledged air defence capabilities and 60% of the promised fire capabilities. Source: Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder during a press briefing Quote: "Between the passage of the supplemental and the middle of last month, we've delivered to Ukraine, 83 per cent of the critical munitions that we've committed from stock, including a 155 millimetre artillery rounds, GMLRs [rockets for HIMARS] Patriot, NASAMS, missiles and more.

We've also delivered 67 per cent of other critical air defence commitments including Stingers and Hawk missiles and we've delivered 60 per cent of the fire's capabilities we have committed including small diameter bombs and 105 millimetre ammunition."

Details: According to Ryder, the Pentagon delivers weapons from US stockpiles within a matter of days or weeks. If any equipment requires repair, it is quickly restored and sent to Ukraine.  Ryder said that the US has delivered thousands of artillery shells, thousands of armoured vehicles, thousands of HIMARS rockets and anti-tank weapons, dozens of artillery systems, hundreds of air defence missiles, one Patriot battery and dozens of other systems since April.

Quote: "Together with our allies and partners, the deliveries of the strategic air defence system we committed to providing at the NATO summit are nearly completed."

Details: Ryder also noted that the US has the capacity to provide Ukraine with over US£9 billion worth of weapons and equipment as of 12 November. Specifically, US£7.1 billion is available through the PDA programme and US£2.2 billion through the USAI programme, which involves ordering weapons directly from manufacturers. "We are going to continue to rush aid and use the funds that we have to ensure that Ukraine gets what it needs in order to deter and fight against Russian aggression," Ryder concluded.

Background:

• On 9 November, The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States plans to send Ukraine interceptor missiles for the Patriot and NASAMS air defence systems, which should be enough to last until the end of the year.
• Earlier, reports indicated that US President Joe Biden's administration planned to use all remaining funds allocated for military assistance to Ukraine by the day of Donald Trump's inauguration on 20 January 2025.
• During the election campaign, Trump made it clear that he would cut or drastically reduce military aid to Ukraine if he won on 5 November.

  He also refused to say that he wanted Ukraine to win the war.

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