MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) - President Joe Biden has announced a huge military aid package totaling $7.9 billion to Ukraine.
Announcing the biggest U.S. military assistance to Ukraine so far, Biden said that to enhance Ukraine's long-range strike capabilities, he has decided to provide Washington's ally with the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) long-range munition with a range of up to 130 kilometers, which are compatible with F-16 fighters.
The AGM-154 JSOW is a glide bomb that deploys a standardized medium range precision guided weapon, especially for engagement of defended targets from outside the range of standard anti-aircraft defenses.
The US president also directed the Department of Defense to allocate all of its remaining $5.5 billion security assistance funding that was approved by Congress last fall. This aid expires on September 30, but Biden authorized it under Presidential Drawdown Authority to ensure the funds can be used until the end of his term in office.
Additionally, the Pentagon is announcing $2.4 billion through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative to provide Ukraine with additional air defense, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and air-to-ground munitions, as well as strengthen Ukraine's defense industrial base and support its maintenance and sustainment requirements.
To further strengthen Ukraine's air defenses against Russian missile attacks, Biden directed the Department of Defense to provide Ukraine with an additional Patriot air defense battery and Patriot missiles. This builds on Biden's decision earlier this year to divert U.S. air defense exports to Ukraine, which will provide Ukraine with hundreds of additional Patriot and AMRAAM missiles over the next year and help its security forces defend its cities.
Biden said he directed the Department of Defense to expand training for Ukrainian F-16 pilots. American experts will support the training of an additional 18 pilots next year.
Biden announced the assistance after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House Thursday.
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