Patriot Missile System (DVIDS) The Pentagon announced Tuesday a security package worth $300 million to support Ukraine's defense capabilities,
The Pentagon announced Tuesday a security package worth $300 million to support Ukraine’s defense capabilities,
This move comes at a time when the Pentagon is facing a severe shortage of funds, requiring at least $10 billion to replenish US weapon stockpiles.
This is the first announced package since December when it was revealed that the Pentagon had depleted its replenishment funds.
However, recent revelations indicate that the Pentagon is not only out of funds but also overdrawn by $10 billion.
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Efforts to secure fresh funds for weapons have stalled due to opposition from Republicans in the House. The United States has been unable to resume weapons deliveries until Congress provides additional replenishment funds. These funds are part of a larger supplemental spending bill that is currently stuck in Congress.
“When Russian troops advance and its guns fire, Ukraine does not have enough ammunition to fire back,” National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday in announcing the $300 million in additional aid.
The Pentagon has been relying on replenishment funds to maintain its military readiness. These funds have allowed the Pentagon to withdraw existing munitions, air defense systems, and other weapons from its reserve inventories under presidential drawdown authority.
These weapons are then sent to Ukraine, and replacement contracts are put in place to ensure the readiness of the U.S. military.
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Senior defense officials have revealed that the Pentagon was able to achieve cost savings of approximately $300 million in some of its longer-term contracts.
Given the challenging battlefield situation, the Pentagon decided to utilize these savings to send additional weapons to Ukraine.
However, it is important to note that these cost savings only offset the new package, and the replenishment spending remains $10 billion underwater.
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