DoD announces $820M package for Ukraine, Germany exports $584M in arms

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The US Pentagon announced Friday another package of security assistance for Ukraine worth $820 million that includes two advanced surface-to-air missile systems and four additional counter-artillery radars in light of the war in Ukraine.

"This afternoon, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced $820 million in additional security assistance for Ukraine," the Pentagon said in a press release. "Included in this package are: Two National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS); Up to 150,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition; and Four additional counter-artillery radars." 

The new package also includes additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) that Washington had previously pledged to Ukraine, the release said.

The United States announced sending a new batch of military supplies to Ukraine, the White House said on Thursday. The new batch is worth $450 million of arms that include more rocket systems for Ukraine to use against the Russian forces. 

Earlier that day, Ukraine received a batch of HIMARS, weapons set on top of the Ukrainian wishlist, and the Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov thanked, via his Twitter account, his “colleague and friend Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III for these powerful tools!"

Since the start of the war, the United States has deployed more than 100,000 of its troops to NATO member states.

Berlin approves $584 million worth of arms to Ukraine 

Ukraine became the second-largest market for German armaments after Berlin approved the exports of 562 million euros ($584 million) worth of arms to Kiev in the first six months of 2022, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) said Friday. 

BMWK said in a report that the German cabinet had approved a total of $4.31 billion in arms exports worldwide, a two-fold increase year on year.

The Netherlands still held first place in terms of arms exports from Germany, with arms deliveries amounting to $1.87 billion. Ukraine, on the other hand, came in second with approved exports averaging $584 million.

The European Union, NATO, and allies, including Ukraine and South Korea, accounted for 92% of all approved German arms export deals in the first half of the year - a total of $3.96 billion in agreed contracts.

For German arms-producing firms to sign defense contracts, they require the approval of the German cabinet. The number of concluded contracts, however, does not represent the actual arms supplies made during the said period since the deliveries could only be made after the government's approval and may take place after the reporting period.