Posted on 05/02/2025 9:09:06 PM PDT by ransomnote
This sale is an actual weapons deal whose principal contractors include Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, BAE Systems and AAR Corporation, the Pentagon said.
>WASHINGTON:
The US state department has approved the potential sale of F-16 training and sustainment, along with related equipment, to Ukraine for US$310 million, the Pentagon said on Friday.
Days before the deal, Ukraine and the US signed a deal heavily promoted by US President Donald Trump, to give the US preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and fund investment in Ukraine’s reconstruction.
Ukraine has previously received F-16 jets from US allies under a jet transfer authorised by former President Joe Biden’s administration. Trump has not been as eager to assist Kyiv with weapons support, instead relying on transfers authorised by Biden.
(Excerpt) Read more at freemalaysiatoday.com ...
ransomnote: I hope someone can post a 'real' article from the government because I don't trust media. I get an error message when I try to load a government article here:Also, I see in the excerpt below that these are funds Biden already appropriated (pushed through before Trump took office) and which I think Trump can't reverse. Even Reuters admits Trump has not been as eager to assist Kyiv with weapons support, instead relying on transfers authorised by Biden."
I think I recall reading that Biden shoved weapons-to-Ukraine appropriations through before leaving office which Trump cannot cancel. So there's money from the Biden regime still going out and it has to be weapons, but Trump can choose WHICH weapons. Trump is choosing to send spare parts and pilot training to Ukraine even though he knows; Ukraine couldn't find enough pilots to train last year; couldn't locate available training slots as most were occupied by EU pilots; doesn't have the advanced runways the F-16's require, lacks air defenses needed to protect the planes from Putin's air dominance, and lastly, Ukraine never received more than 6 -10 of the F-16 fighters, some of which were believed to have been destroyed while parked on a tarmac.
Ah but the press and the agitators are claiming Trump 'supports the war'.
The old F-16's Ukraine receive never made a difference, and never will, but Trump sent spare parts for them. Somehow this gets lost in the MSM.
Ping to Post #1. I keep seeing fake news and false titles to articles regarding Ukraine, and am trying to make my way back to actual sources!
They already owe us billions of unaccounted-for taxpayer dollars, and refuse to accept that the money, and the weapons we’ve sent them from our own inventory weren’t loans. So, are we going to let them borrow the $310 million to pay for these weapons up front, or are they going to crap the money out of their arses? The so-called minerals deal still has to pass Ukraine’s Parliament. The a-holes could reject it for all we know. Europe has munition and arms factories. Let them sell Ukraine what they need. Leave the US out of it.
I think I recall reading that Biden shoved weapons-to-Ukraine appropriations through before leaving office which Trump cannot cancel.
_________________________________________
If you did read this, it was untrue.
https://www.perplexity.ai/search/is-president-trump-planning-50-Q7fRF6GpSOmlRSgHYM29Ig?1=r
Yes, President Donald Trump personally approved the $50 million defense package to Ukraine. This marks the first weapons sale to Ukraine authorized by his administration since returning to office. The approval was made through a formal notification to Congress and covers direct commercial sales of defense articles, technical data, and defense services to Ukraine.
So the Ukes are buying them. Wasn’t Slow Joe giving them the weapons?
Congress has yelled for our entire AC130 fleet to be retired asap. Could we not transfer all of it to Ukraine instead?
Ukraine – F-16 Training and Sustainment
Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov
Transmittal No. 25-32
WASHINGTON, May 2, 2025 - The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Ukraine of F-16 Training and Sustainment and related equipment for an estimated cost of $310.5 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress.
The Government of Ukraine requests to buy equipment and services in support of its F-16 aircraft. The following non-MDE items will be included: aircraft modifications and upgrades; personnel training related to operation, maintenance, and sustainment support; spare parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return support; ground handling equipment; classified and unclassified software delivery and support; classified and unclassified publications and technical documentation; studies and surveys; U.S. Government and
contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $310.5 million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe.
The proposed sale will improve Ukraine’s capability to meet current and future threats by ensuring its pilots are effectively trained and by increasing its interoperability with the United States through comprehensive training with the U.S. Air Force. This proposed sale aligns with international coalition contributions for the establishment of Ukraine’s F-16 program and the overall modernization of Ukraine’s air force. Ukraine will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
The principal contractors will be Valiant Integrated Services, located in Herndon, VA; Top Aces Corporation, located in Mesa, AZ; Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, located in Fort Worth, TX; Pratt and Whitney, located in East Hartford, CT; Snap-on, Inc., located in Kenosha, WI; BAE Systems, Inc., located in Falls Church, VA; AAR Corporation, located in Wood Dale, IL; and Comsetra, LLC, located in Grove, OK. At this time, the U.S. Government is not aware of any offset agreement proposed in connection with this potential sale. Any offset
agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor.
Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Ukraine.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.
The description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded.
All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department’s Bureau of Political Military-Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov.
NO ….. stop selling them weapons!!!!!
we should take what we gave them back. Don’t give them one more bullet
Weapons going to Z aren’t going to replenish our Defense stockpiles.
I do not consider this putting an end to that war. It is further participation in it.
I keep hearing all this claptrap about we have to have a ceasefire. Trump knew Russia wasn’t interested in a long ceasefire first for obvious reasons. Just a peace settlement.
It went from an settled end of war to a ceasefire only. That dog was never going to hunt.
He could end this war and it would end when the Biden goodbye cash cow runs out as long as he doesn’t keep feeding the beast.
The Russian invasion has rejuvenated America’s Europe’s and our Asian allies weapons industries and budgets.
We have gone from production stagnation and decaying old stocks, even stocks of old weapons that we have recently learned should be replaced with something new and different, to humming weapon factories, new weapon systems and designs, new budgets and new big time orders and most important of all, new awareness that history isn’t over and that we and the West, and our Eastern allies all need to prepare and be ready for war and that the wartime depletion of weapons will be much larger than we thought in January of 2021.
In the General/Chat forum, on a thread titled US state dept okays possible arms sale to Ukraine, Responsibility2nd wrote: I think I recall reading that Biden shoved weapons-to-Ukraine appropriations through before leaving office which Trump cannot cancel.
_________________________________________
If you did read this, it was untrue.
https://www.perplexity.ai/search/is-president-trump-planning-50-Q7fRF6GpSOmlRSgHYM29Ig?1=r
Yes, President Donald Trump personally approved the $50 million defense package to Ukraine. This marks the first weapons sale to Ukraine authorized by his administration since returning to office. The approval was made through a formal notification to Congress and covers direct commercial sales of defense articles, technical data, and defense services to Ukraine.
Thank you. I believe Trump spent money on air defenses (MANPADS) and the ammo for the manpads and other defensive weapons. He's not trying to encourage continued fighting.
Reuters believes the first military hardware out the door (last week) is billed to Biden's appropriations. Here's a story which indicates Biden left funds for Trump to give to Ukraine:
Joe Biden's Final $500M Ukraine Package Leaves $3.8B on the Table for Trump
Published Jan 09, 2025 at 7:42 AM EST Updated Jan 09, 2025 at 11:19 AM EST"Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said at the 25th Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Ramstein Air Base, Germany: "I am announcing today another Presidential Drawdown Authority package, valued at approximately $500 million. It includes additional missiles for Ukrainian air defense, more ammunition, more air-to-ground munitions, and other equipment to support Ukraine's F-16s.""ransomnote: The article doesn't say Trump must spend the funds - Biden wanted to make sure there was plenty set aside so Trump couldn't say we didn't have the funds?Again, F-16s! Ukraine continues the farce that 'if we only had F16's' while not admitting they haven't been able to use them to their advantage and all the other problems with them.
Thank you!
This caught my eye: “The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.”
I recall posting a CFR article that said Ukraine can’t fly F16’s now because they don’t have an adequate air defense system and it would take years to build one, and that effort must not be attempted during a hot war (construction efforts routinely destroyed).
Without adequate air defenses, the F-16’s can’t transit long distances (Russia has air superiority at a time when Ukraine’s F16 pilots are few and new - some new to flying at all). Since they can’t transit distances, they have to be placed near the border. There are no adequate airfields from which to operate them located near the border. Such advanced runways must be constructed by Russia would easily destroy them under construction. The airfields must be designed to offer the pristine takeoff and landing conditions the F-16s require because the air intakes are forward facing and debris is then sucked into the planes. The CFR article detailed the large teams of repair personel and equipment which would be needed to support a fleet etc. When Ukraine go their first rebuilt F-16s, the bombed something like a lighthouse to prove they were using them in battle. But none of the analysis I could find could justify how they would help Ukraine.
Maybe Ukraine will sell the inoperable F-16s Trump is sending to use the money to buy what it wants; that’s what some of the Russians were saying.
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