Roundup of U.S. weapons for Ukraine
A Soldier conducts registration and calibration for the M777A2 howitzer weapon system in Syria, Sept. 30, 2021.
U.S. Army Spc. Isaiah Scott | U.S. Army
WASHINGTON — From heavy artillery to tactical drones to armored vehicles, the U.S. has provided $3.4 billion in weapons to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion two months ago.
The latest military aid package of $800 million, which is the eighth installment of aid, comes after eight weeks of war and as Russian forces prepare for a renewed fight in the east and south of Ukraine.
Here’s a look at the weapons the U.S. has committed to the fight thus far.
Drones
AeroVironment Switchblade 600 Drone
Courtesy: AeroVironment
Included in the latest security package, are 121 tactical unmanned aerial systems dubbed “Phoenix Ghost” drones.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Thursday that the drones were “rapidly developed by the Air Force, in response, specifically to Ukrainian requirements.”
“It provides similar capabilities to the Switchblade series of unmanned systems, similar capabilities but not exact. There are other differences in the scope of capability for the Phoenix Ghosts, but I’m just not going to be able to get into more detail about those capabilities right now,” Kirby said.
The drones are manufactured by Aevex Aerospace in Solana Beach, Calif., and are currently in the U.S. Air Force arsenal. Once the drones are in the region, U.S. troops will have to train Ukrainian forces on how to operate them, Kirby told reporters during a daily press briefing. He did not provide a timeline for when the drones would arrive in the region.
The U.S. has also committed at least 300 Switchblade drones manufactured by U.S.-based firm AeroVironment. There are two variants of the weapon, the Switchblade 300 and the 600. It was not immediately clear which version the U.S. deployed to Ukraine.
Each Switchblade is designed to be a single-use or a “kamikaze” drone.
The 300 variant is designed to strike small targets. It can fit in a rucksack, weighs a little over 5 pounds and has a range of 10 miles. The 600 version of the weapon is designed to destroy tanks and other armored vehicles. It weighs slightly more than 120 pounds and has a range of more than 40 miles.
Armored and tactical vehicles
U.S. Army Soldiers, assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, engage a target from a M113A2 armored vehicle during squad maneuver training at Grafenwoehr Training Area on Jan. 14, 2013.
U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Pablo Piedra | U.S. Army
The U.S. has committed hundreds of armored vehicles to Ukrainian forces, including 200 M113 armored vehicles and 100 armored high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles.
The U.S. military has also allocated at least 72 tactical vehicles for the purpose of towing U.S Army and U.S. Marine Corps 155mm howitzers around the battlefield.
Heavy artillery
U.S. Marines with Alpha Battery, Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 4th Marines, fire their M777 Lightweight 155mm Howitzer during Exercise Alligator…
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