Biden sending armed drones, Stingers and Javelins to Ukraine

PanARMENIAN.Net - President Joe Biden announced Wednesday, March 17 that the US will provide Ukraine with an additional $800 million in weaponry, committing a total of $1 billion in military aid to Kyiv this week alone, Breaking Defense reports.

The latest security assistance package doubles the $1 billion in security assistance previously given by the administration.

However, the military tech that the U.S. will provide to Ukraine — which includes anti-tank missiles and anti-aircraft systems — falls short of the more sophisticated air defense systems and combat aircraft Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked for during a speech to U.S. lawmakers earlier in the day.

“The American people are answering President Zelensky’s call for more help, more weapons for Ukraine to defend itself, more tools to fight Russian aggression,” Biden said during a speech at the White House announcing the new military aid.

The arms package includes 800 shoulder-mounted Stinger anti-aircraft systems and 9,000 anti-armor systems, including 2,000 Javelin systems, 1,000 light anti-armor weapons and 6,000 AT-4 antiarmor systems, according to a White House fact sheet.

For the first time, the U.S. is providing drones to Ukraine in the form of 100 “tactical unmanned aerial systems,” the White House stated. Biden did not specify what drones will be delivered to Ukraine, but Politico reported that the drones are AeroVironment’s Switchblade system, which loiters in the sky before crashing into its target.

Drones have already played a major part in Ukraine’s defense, with the Turkish-made TB2 becoming something of a local celebrity for its ability to take out Russia armor. Unlike the TB2, however, the Switchblade is a one-time-use system, more of a loitering munition than a true UAV.