Posted on 04/21/2022 8:53:05 PM PDT by Zhang Fei
Another $800 million in security assistance is headed to Ukraine, the Pentagon announced today. This is the 8th drawdown package announced, which is gear pulled from existing U.S. military stock. Included in this package are 72 155 mm howitzers, 144,000 artillery rounds, 121 Phoenix Ghost unmanned aerial systems and vehicles with which to tow the howitzers.
The Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial System, said Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby, is a system developed by the Air Force in response to Ukrainian requirements.
"Phoenix Ghost is a tactical, unmanned aerial system ... [it] provides similar capabilities to the Switchblade series of unmanned systems — similar capabilities, but not exact," said Kirby. At this time he was not willing to elaborate further on the capabilities of the Phoenix Ghost.
The Phoenix Ghost system, he said, will likely require minimal training for Ukrainian users who are already experienced in operating other UASs.
"We're going to be working through those training requirements directly with the Ukrainian Armed Forces," he said.
Last week the U.S. announced it would ship 18 howitzers to Ukraine, along with 40,000 artillery shells to go with them. The U.S. will now ship 72 additional howitzers to Ukraine and 144,000 additional shells. That brings the total number of howitzers to 90.
"These additional 72 howitzers will help basically fit out five more ... artillery battalions for the Ukrainians," Kirby said. "This was ... very much in keeping with their needs, specifically in the Donbas, and the kind of fighting that has already started there and we expect to continue over days and weeks ahead."
The latest security assistance package also includes 72 tactical vehicles which can be used to tow the howitzers.
So far, eight drawdown packages of security assistance have been targeted at Ukraine. Helping move that equipment and also to move equipment and supplies donated by U.S. partner and allied nations, is the Eucom Control Center - Ukraine.
During a background briefing this morning, a senior defense official said Eucom Control Center - Ukraine was established in March in Stuttgart, Germany, to support both security force assistance and humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainians.
"[It's] responsible for consolidating Ukrainian assistance needs. The Eucom Control Center coordinates and synchronizes timely delivery of U.S., allied and partner contributions of assistance," the official said. "This cell is co-located with the UK-led International Donor Coordination Center, which coordinates resources from amongst our international community partners to enable donor countries from around the world to provide military equipment and aid to the armed forces of Ukraine."
The official said for the latest security assistance package, Eucom Control Center - Ukraine has been working with the services and with the joint staff on sourcing solutions for the equipment and material. It's expected the first flights will leave the U.S. in the next 24 to 48 hours and that the first rounds of that equipment will be in the Ukrainian hands by the end of the weekend.
He didnt include all the other AFVs Russia has (multiply by 3 at least). Also using committed tanks figure, not all those in reserve.
And most shots miss, even ATGMs.
Actual battle always shows that prewar ammo expenditure estimates are always way too low. The classic example is the 1914-15 “shell crisis”.
Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missile in flight. First operational use.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x-hiR1ejGw
“why are we sending weapons to a despotic child-smuggling and money laundering country used by the deep state where hunter biden even sat on the board of the national gas co. , where we ALREADY sent weapons last week and the Pentagon claims to have “lost” them?”
Because it is in the US national interest. The United States, and Great Britain before it, are insular powers. We have an interest in preventing a single power from gaining dominance over an undivided Eurasia.
You are welcome to disagree with the concept or intent, but you asked why and I believe that is the answer.
“The problem with Russia is not that it has been imposed upon, but that it imposes on others.”
Question (to Russian Military Cadets): With what countries does Russia share a border?
Right Answer: Any one it wants.
What is the life span of a towed howitzer on a modern battlefield?
Maybe we have to send them for a moral reason, we weren’t an innocent party in all of Ukraine’s corruption. We were involved as a country in all aspects of the suffering being inflicted on the innocent in this country.
This is our penance.
Look at Soros, Biden, Clinton, and Obama. We have been unable to hold them accountable and isolate them from damaging other countries while they poked the bear continuously.
It looks like NATO is ramping up the weapons supply into the Ukraine - From planeloads, to boatloads.
The transport ship Ysabel of the Spanish Navy is on its way to Poland, bringing 200 tons of weapons for Ukraine. Reportedly, a lot of trucks and ammunition in the cargo.
Also, speculation as to destination/cargo of the now underway USNS Soderman, which is normally part of America’s pre-positioned afloat stocks of unit sets of equipment - heavy armor units all loaded up on ships with their initial load of ammo, food, and fuel; ready to deploy quickly (just add people).
Recently, tanks have been flowing into the Ukraine, and reportedly a package of repair parts are enabling the Ukrainian Air Force to put 20 more jets into the air. What had been 18 howitzers from the USA, turns out to have been 100.
Rumor is that NATO is gearing up to supply a long war, at least through the end of the year.
Oh goody. Lockheed Martin, GD, Raytheon must be giddy.
Who knows where this materiel is going. USA probably using it to topple some other country’s govt like we have a penchant for doing.
Hopefully Russia sinks these weapons supply ships and takes the planes down. F this.
Most likely however, is that these ships will reliably dock, unload, and truck through Poland into the Ukraine, where they will kill Russia’s youth, who will be stacked in piles by the thousands, like firewood.
Putin wanted a war to steal more oil and gas reserves, because a $200 billion dollar personal fortune is not enough for him. He will kill as many Russian boys as it takes, and drive the whole rest of the Russian nation into poverty, so that the golden toilets on his yachts can be encrusted with diamonds.
Cities destroyed, millions driven from their homes, torture chambers working around the clock, dumping their victims into mass graves and mobile crematoria.
Putin has earned Russians the label of “orcs”, and a well deserved spot in hell.
After NATO destroys their purpose for existing, the resource and land rich eastern half of Russia is China's for the taking, and they want it. Taiwan is nothing compared to NATO's emerging gift to China.
The first Gulf War was fine. The power vacuum created by the second was a stupid gift to Iran.
Keep believing the commie lies Ivan
I don’t’ believe in Commie lies but reliable facts and your juvenile comments show you don’t know what you are talking about.
Why do they announce this? I find something really doesn’t smell right when you tell people what you are doing in a war situation unless it is released as disinformation. Maybe it is.
Remember when you thought putin would take Ukraine quickly. Why you and everyone else think so. We believed Russians. Once you stop doing that you see the delapedated wheels about ready to come off their house dumpsters fire Russia and its inhabitants are. Hypersonic, whatever these people are afraid to take their tanks off road.
They will either come out or starve in that steel plant. The Uke troops are man depleted even though we hear no Uke troops have died in all of this war but citizens have./s
Makes you wonder why Biden keeps throwing money amd weapons at this mess.
No I never thought that, but I remember when you thought Russian EW weapons were dud rockets. You are not a military mind nor do you understand high-tech or engineering. I’ve expected 6 months to a year for this to end. We’ve been telling you this is a decapacitation op and all you lightweights thought they were trying to conquer the whole country. Military think tanks neve bought into that. Think about all the aid and money Z is asking for. People who are winning never ask for that.
It is time for you weak minded folks to stop being distracted by this and look what is happening here internally. Have you notice how many food processing plants have been destroyed here in this country in the last month? Wake up and smell the coffee.
Mmm coffee making some now. Yeah we were talking about Russia now you talking about food processing my simple mind can’t follow. Russia sucks they always have that you can’t see that oh well. I enjoy watching this show motion suicide and could care less about wharever else big picture thing you, obviously a towering intellectual are wringing your hands about. Does it make it difficult to clutch your pearls while wringing you hands?
I know what I am talking about because of what I do for a living and have done so for 37 years and continue to do so at a level that is beyond your comprehension. Your knowledge shows you may have 37 hours reading about military news and that is generous. What do you do for a living? I have to get back to work know and help preserve freedom even for the likes of you. Which believe it or not I’m starting to regret doing so.
You say that to yourself every morning in the mirror to yourself? Believe it yet?
I know what I do and have done for this country and have the proof. I could care less WTF you think or say. You are a POTAHOM.
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