DOD Unveils $425m In Ukraine Aid As Congress Debates Spending Plan

The U.S. is surging more air defenses to Ukraine in its latest round of military aid as the Pentagon’s allocated funding for the effort is dropping and the two chambers of Congress can’t yet agree on how to proceed.

The Pentagon on Nov. 3 announced another $425 million in aid, with $125 million in equipment being drawn down from existing stockpiles and $300 million going to new contracts. The drawdown includes additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), which are a critical part of Ukraine’s layered air defense system.

Other equipment includes additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, 155m and 105mm artillery rounds, anti-armor missiles and other equipment.

The $300 million in new contracts will go for undisclosed laser-guided munitions for counter uncrewed aircraft systems.

So far, the U.S. has provided $35 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.

Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said Oct. 31 that the department has about $5.4 billion in drawdown authority remaining for Ukraine.

Capitol Hill is debating a new White House supplemental budget request that includes $44.4 billion for Ukraine, along with $10.6 billion in assistance for Israel and $3.3 billion for the submarine industrial base related to commitments under the AUKUS agreement with Australia and the U.K.

But the combined approach is not finding favor in the Republican-led House of Representatives. The House on Nov. 2 approved a measure that included $14.3 billion for Israel, paid for with cuts to the Internal Revenue Service. That pay-for, combined with the fact that the measure does not include aid for Ukraine, has prompted Senate leaders to say the chamber would not approve it.