Both air defense and armor capability are high on the list of aid desired by Ukraine. (file)
Washington:
The Pentagon announced Friday that the United States will fund the upgrade of T-72 tanks and HAWK surface-to-air missiles as part of a nearly $400 million security aid package for Ukraine.
Air defense and armor capability are both high on the list of aid desired by Ukraine, but the T-72 falls short of most modern tanks such as the German Leopard or the US Abrams sought by Kyiv.
“The tanks are coming from the Czech Republic defense industry, and the United States is paying for the 45 that are to be refurbished, and the government of the Netherlands matches our commitment” for a total of 90 T-72s, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters.
He said the T-72 – a Soviet-era tank – would be equipped with “advanced optics, communications and armor packages”, some of which would be ready by the end of December and the rest to be delivered in 2023.
When asked why more modern tanks were not being made available, Singh cited factors including ease of use and cost.
“These are the tanks that the Ukrainians know how to use on the battlefield,” she said, adding that “introducing a new main battle tank is extremely expensive, time sensitive, and would be a huge undertaking for the Ukrainian forces.”
The aid package also funds the refurbishment of HAWK missiles from US inventory – an important asset as Ukraine seeks to counter Russian drone and missile attacks targeting its cities and energy infrastructure.
Singh declined to say how many missiles were being refurbished, citing security concerns.
Spain had previously agreed to provide Ukraine with four medium-range HAWK air defense systems – part of an international effort to assemble a patchwork of various surface-to-air capabilities to help protect the country from attacks .
The aid package includes funding for the refurbishment of 1,100 Phoenix Ghost drones, 40 armored boats, and 250 M1117 armored vehicles, among other items.
It falls under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which funds the purchase of equipment from the defense industry rather than taking items directly from existing military stocks.
Washington’s total commitment to security aid to Ukraine has exceeded $18.2 billion, the latest aid since Russia’s invasion in late February.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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