By the numbers: Keeping track of the single largest arms transfer in US history
August 18, 2022
With the constant flow of news about the war, it can be hard to keep track of all these weapons packages, so we at Responsible Statecraft decided to put together a timeline of every arms shipment that has been announced since the war began. And whenever a new transfer is announced, we’ll update this page to reflect it.
Before jumping into the timeline, it is important to note a couple of things. First, this list only contains publicly announced information. The Pentagon admitted on August 11 to sending at least one type of missile that had not been previously mentioned in their press releases, so there’s reason to believe that this list is not exhaustive.
Second, there are two different sources for these lethal aid packages. One, which has made up the vast majority of transfers to date, is known as a “presidential drawdown.” This means that the White House and Pentagon agree to send weapons to Ukraine from U.S. stockpiles, after which DoD can use the funds to replenish their stocks by purchasing new arms from defense contractors. Biden has used this authority an unprecedented 18 times in order to send weapons to Ukraine, with most of the funding coming from money that Congress has set aside to arm Kyiv.
The other source of weapons is the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, or USAI. This is a special fund within the Pentagon’s budget that is used to purchase new weapons from contractors rather than drawing from existing stockpiles. Transfers from these funds do not require additional approval from Congress.
Without further ado, here is a timeline of every major weapons shipment or funding package announced since February 24:
August 19
The Pentagon announced that it will send an additional $775 million worth of security assistance to Ukraine via presidential drawdown, including:
— HIMARS ammunition
— Artillery ammunition
— Javelin anti-armor systems
— ScanEagle surveillance drones
— High-speed anti-radiation missiles (HARM) (These missiles are fired from planes at targets on the ground.)
— Various armored vehicles
August 8
The Pentagon announced that it will send $1 billion worth of security assistance to Ukraine via presidential drawdown, including:
— HIMARS ammunition (This is an acronym for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. These mobile missile launchers can fire a wide range of munitions, including rocket artillery and short-range ballistic missiles.)
— Artillery ammunition
— Javelin missiles and other anti-armor weapons
August 1
The Pentagon announced an additional $550 million of security aid via presidential drawdown, including:
— HIMARS ammunition
— Artillery ammunition
July 22
The Pentagon announced that it will send $270 million of military aid to Ukraine, with $175 million authorized via presidential drawdown and the other $95 million coming via USAI funds. This included:
— Four additional HIMARS
— HIMARS ammunition
— Four Command Post vehicles (These can be used as a tactical operations center or an armored ambulance, among other things.)
— Tank gun ammunition
— Phoenix Ghost drones (These are a type of “loitering munition,” or a weapon that can wait in the air for extended periods of time before attacking a target. This was created by the United States for use in Ukraine.)
July 8
The Pentagon announced an additional $400 million of military assistance via presidential drawdown, including:
— Four additional HIMARS
— HIMARS ammunition
— Artillery ammunition
July 1
The Pentagon announced that it will send $820 million of security aid, with $50 million authorized via presidential drawdown and the remaining $770 million coming via USAI funds. This included:
— HIMARS ammunition
— Two National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) (This system launches missiles to defend against various types of aircraft, including drones.)
— Artillery ammunition
June 23
The Pentagon announced an additional $450 million in military assistance via presidential drawdown, including:
— Four HIMARS
— Artillery ammunition
— Grenade launchers
— Patrol boats
June 15
The Pentagon announced an additional $1 billion in lethal aid, with $350 million authorized via presidential drawdown and $650 million coming from USAI funds. This included:
— Howitzers (This is a popular long-range artillery weapon.)
— Artillery ammunition
— HIMARS ammunition
— Two Harpoon coastal defense systems (These launch missiles that fly just above the surface of the water to attack planes and ships.)
June 1
The Pentagon announced an additional $700 million in military assistance via presidential drawdown, including:
— HIMARS
— HIMARS ammunition
— Javelin missiles and other anti-armor weapons
— Artillery ammunition
— Four Mi-17 helicopters (These can be used for transport or combat.)
May 19
The Pentagon announced $100 million in lethal aid via presidential drawdown, including:
— Howitzers
On the same day, Congress passed a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine, roughly half of which was earmarked for military assistance.
May 6
The Pentagon announced $150 million in military aid via presidential drawdown, including:
— Artillery ammunition
April 21
DoD announced $800 million in further aid via presidential drawdown, including:
— Howitzers
— Artillery ammunition
— Phoenix Ghost drones
April 13
The Pentagon announced that it will send an additional $800 million in military assistance via presidential drawdown, including:
— Howitzers
— Artillery ammunition
— Switchblade drones (This is another form of loitering munition.)
— Javelin missiles and other anti-armor weapons
— Armored personnel carriers
— 11 Mi-17 helicopters
— Various types of explosives
April 6
The Pentagon announced an addition $100 million in aid via presidential drawdown, including:
— Javelin anti-armor systems
April 1
DoD announced that it will send $300 million in lethal aid using USAI funds, including:
— Laser-guided rocket systems
— Switchblade drones
— Puma surveillance drones
— Anti-drone systems
— Armored vehicles
March 16
The Pentagon announced that it will send $800 million worth of military aid via presidential drawdown. The exact contents of this package are unclear, but it likely included Mi-17 helicopters, Javelin missiles, and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.
March 12
The White House announced that it will send $200 million in lethal aid via presidential drawdown, including:
— Javelin missiles
— Stinger missiles
March 10
Congress approved $13.6 billion in aid to Ukraine, roughly half of which was earmarked for military assistance.
February 25
The White House announced that it will send $350 million in military aid via presidential drawdown, including:
— Anti-armor weapons
— Small arms
Pentagon Announces New $775 Million Weapons Package for Ukraine
The 18th arms transfer will include ScanEagle Drones for the first time
For the first time, the US will be sending ScanEagle Drones. The UAVs are made by a subsidiary of Boeing and are used for surveillance. The Pentagon said other allies may have sent ScanEagle drones to Ukraine but was unsure if Kiev has deployed any on the battlefield.
The Pentagon made the announcement to select reporters who and the official spoke on the condition of anonymity. The Defense Department claims the new package brings total military aid to Ukraine to $10.6 billion since Russia invaded on February 24.
According to Voice of America reporter Jeff Seldin, the package will also include ammo for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 16 105mm Howitzers, 36,000 artillery rounds, High Speed AntiRadar Missiles (HARM), 1,000 anti-armor TOW missiles, 1,000 Javelin anti-armor missiles and mine clearing equipment.
A source told Politico that the eighteenth round of security aid would include Raytheon-made Excalibur precision-guided munitions. The arms dealer’s website claims the munitions can extend the range and improve the accuracy of some artillery systems up to 40 kilometers. Reuters reporter Idress Ali said the Excalibur munitions were not included in this weapons package.
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