With biggest-yet security package, US aid to Ukraine nears $13B

Updated 8/24/22 at 5:17 pm EST with comment from VAMPIRE maker L3 Harris.

BARCELONA — President Joe Biden today marked the six-month anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by announcing a new arms package worth nearly $3 billion — the largest single military aid package to date.

The $2.98 billion-dollar tranche, provided through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), also marks Ukraine’s independence day. Biden said in a statement the package “will allow Ukraine to acquire air defense systems, artillery systems and munitions, counter-unmanned aerial systems, and radars to ensure it can continue to defend itself over the long term.

“I know this independence day is bittersweet for many Ukrainians as thousands have been killed or wounded, millions have been displaced from their homes, and so many others have fallen victim to Russian atrocities and attacks,” Biden continued. “But six months of relentless attacks have only strengthened Ukrainians’ pride in themselves, in their country, and in their thirty-one years of independence.”

With the new package, US aid to Ukraine jumps to nearly $13 billion. Several hours after Biden’s announcement, the Pentagon detailed the specific munitions in the package:

• Six additional National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) with additional munitions for NASAMS;
• Up to 245,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition;
• Up to 65,000 rounds of 120mm mortar ammunition;
• Up to 24 counter-artillery radars;
• Puma Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and support equipment for Scan Eagle UAS systems;
• VAMPIRE Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems;
• Laser-guided rocket systems;
• Funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment.

The VAMPIRE counter-UAV system stood out from that list, as a cUAS system under the name is not one of the common systems used by the Pentagon’s anti-drone efforts. Pentagon Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl described the system to reporters as  a “kinetic system” that “uses small missiles, essentially, to shoot UAVs out of the sky.”

After several hours of speculation, a spokesperson for L3 Harris confirmed the VAMPIRE system in question is its “Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment,” which is effectively a small, four-barreled rocket launcher and a sensor suite designed to be quickly installed on commercial vehicles, such as a pickup truck.

In a statement, L3 Harris said it has “supported the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense for several years.

“Our VAMPIRE system will provide the Ukrainian people with even more robust capabilities as they continue to defend their country and democracy in Europe, and we will continue to offer our steadfast support of their mission,” the company said.

For Weapon Delivery, Long Timelines By Design

Unlike presidential drawdown actions, using the USAI pathway means the weapons, ammo and systems are not pulled from current US stocks, but will be ordered from the defense industry. Kahl said that there will be varying timelines for the systems getting into Ukrainian hands — some potentially stretching into years from now. That, he said, was by design. The package “is not relevant to the fight today, tomorrow or next week,” he said, but designed to support Ukraine for years to come.

“This is extraordinarily important because at least as [far as] we can discern, [Russian President] Vladimir Putin has not given up his overall strategic objectives” of “reclaiming Ukraine as part of a new Russian empire. What he has done is lengthened his timeline [under] recognition that he’s off plan.”

Putin, Kahl said, believes he can outlast Ukraine and its international supporters, and the aid package is designed to “impact his calculus.” Kahl said the capabilities delivered would be relevant in three years, for example, whether the conflict is still ongoing or whether it’s needed to deter further aggression during a ceasefire.

In his statement, Biden said, “The United States of America is committed to supporting the people of Ukraine as they continue the fight to defend their sovereignty. […] Over the past six months, Ukrainians have inspired the world with their extraordinary courage and dedication to freedom.

“They have stood resolute and strong in the face of Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine. And today is not only a celebration of the past, but a resounding affirmation that Ukraine proudly remains — and will remain — a sovereign and independent nation.”

Other capabilities from other partners are also being announced to mark Ukraine’s independence day holiday. Boris Johnston, the outgoing prime minister of the United Kingdom, made a surprise visit to Kyiv, with a gift of a £54 million ($63.5 million) package of drones and loitering munitions. According to a statement from Downing Street, the package includes 850 Black Hornet micro-drones, hand-launched systems “specifically designed for use in towns and villages, and are deployed to detect approaching enemy forces.

“Military personnel can be trained to fly the helicopter drones, which are smaller than a mobile phone, in under 20 minutes. Each drone feeds back live video and still images to allow forces on the ground to defend urban areas safely,” according to the news release. The UK has committed more than £2.3 billion in military and financial aid to Ukraine since the invasion began, per the announcement.