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CNN: The Pentagon is working on a plan to support the Ukrainian army in the long term and replenish its own weapons stockpile

Author:
Anna Kholodnova
Date:

The Department of Defense of the United States of America is preparing a detailed analysis and developing a support plan for the Ukrainian army in the medium and long term, in particular after the end of the war with Russia.

CNN writes about this with reference to three officials who work in the US defense sector.

This process is headed by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley. It will build on the billions of dollars in military aid the US has provided to Ukraine since the February 24 full-scale Russian invasion.

The plan is currently in an early stage. A senior defense official told reporters that he is analyzing "the future of Ukraineʼs armed forces" to answer key questions about "what makes sense?" and "what do we want Ukraine to have in the medium and long term?" in terms of military support.

In addition to the time of the current war, the United States will take into account in its plan a period of at least five years after its end.

The analysis is carried out jointly with the Ukrainians. If approved by President Joe Biden, the plan would lead to further arms sales and a long-term military training program that could last for years. The document will be presented to Kyiv as an evaluation. At the same time, it will contain a clear road map of how, according to the US, the Ukrainian army should be developed.

An initial step could be to develop recommendations on weapons and training, which will depend on the military strategy that Ukraine approves.

Last month, during a discussion of aid to Ukraine, US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl noted, "While many of these capabilities will not directly contribute to todayʼs struggle, they will form the future backbone of a strong Ukrainian military capable of defending Ukraine for years to come."

The US assessment and initial plans are likely to be discussed when Mark Milley and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meet with their allied counterparts in Germany on September 8.

The analysis and planning of the Americans are based on data collected before the current counteroffensive of the Armed Forces in the Kherson region. The document will also include an initial consideration of Ukraineʼs needs for a modernized air force, in particular, fixed-wing fighters and helicopters to support highly mobile ground forces, officials said. The US also wants to help make Ukraineʼs ground forces more maneuverable.

In addition, the Pentagon has created a task force to streamline the foreign military sales process, the two officials said. The group, created by Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, will help allies and partners, including Ukraine, implement requests for American military equipment. This system can simplify the process of Ukraineʼs procurement of advanced American weapons.

According to representatives of the Pentagon, Ukraine currently has about 1,000 drones with various capabilities. Practice has shown that drones with a shorter range and less explosives are less useful than larger drones, so a contract for 10 Switchblade 600 drones equipped with anti-armor warheads is wanted within a month.

One of the most urgent needs of Ukraine is the constant supply of 155 mm artillery ammunition. The Armed Forces use these shells very quickly, so the US will have to replenish its own stocks. At the end of last month, the Pentagon signed contracts worth $364 million with American and international suppliers.

The U.S. currently produces about 15,000 rounds per month at facilities in Pennsylvania, but the state has already committed additional funding to boost current production to more than 30,000 rounds per month. The Pentagon is working with all sectors of industry to increase production both for export to Ukraine and to restore American stockpiles of munitions and launchers.

Since May, the United States has signed several important contracts, including: a $624 million deal with Raytheon for Stinger missile systems; $352 million will go to Raytheon and Lockheed Martin for the Javelin anti-armor system; Lockheed will receive $33 million for the production of the HIMARS rocket launcher system, and $8 million will go to an agreement with AeroVironment for the production of Switchblade drones. The Pentagon also hopes to double the monthly production of HIMARS to 12 launchers per month.

The U.S. is also considering modifying existing systems, such as Boeingʼs Insitu ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle, which Ukraine can use to gather vital intelligence on the battlefield, including data on the location of Russian radars and electronic communications systems.