The US Protection Division is now reviewing 1,300 proposals from 800 corporations for progressive new weapons and business capabilities they can develop and produce for Ukraine to make use of in its combat in opposition to Russia’s invasion, in response to a protection official.
The Pentagon expects to determine within the coming weeks on which concepts it can pursue, resulting in potential eventual manufacturing for Ukraine in addition to for the US army.
The proposals, requested by the division, focus on key areas — together with weapons capabilities for air protection, anti-armor, anti-personnel, coastal protection, anti-tank, unmanned aerial programs, counter battery and safe communications — which have been recognized by Ukraine as key army wants.
They had been sought as a part of a broad initiative by the Protection Division to “fulfill Ukraine’s precedence safety help requests,” in response to the unique solicitation for concepts despatched to trade. The aim is to get concepts and knowledge in hand with a view to speed up manufacturing and construct extra capability throughout the economic base, as its now accepted the US and its allies are prone to must help Ukraine lengthy after its personal current weapons stockpiles run out.
This comes because the Pentagon continues its a number of billion-dollar weapons transfers. On Thursday, President Joe Biden mentioned the US will quickly announce one other $800 million in new assist, together with air protection programs and offensive weapons. Thus far, the US has dedicated $6.1 billion in safety help to Ukraine because the Feb. 24 invasion by Russia. The US has been working with greater than 50 different nations to see what weapons they’ll supply.
The desire has been for what they’ve in Russian weapons, as a result of Ukraine’s forces are aware of these programs and wouldn’t want coaching. However because the struggle has gone on, extra superior weapons have been offered and Ukraine’s forces have been educated in close by international locations.
The division’s plan for potential new manufacturing contracts displays some urgency because it appears to be like for potential deliveries wherever from lower than 30 days to greater than 180 days. It is usually asking corporations to element what kind of air, land or sea platform their weapon may be deployed on and in the event that they have already got one thing in manufacturing.
“Specifically, the Division is exploring choices which might speed up manufacturing and construct extra capability throughout the economic base for weapons and gear that may be quickly exported, deployed with minimal coaching, and which are confirmed efficient within the battlefield,” the DOD mentioned in its solicitation to trade for concepts.
The trouble comes as a followup to a Pentagon assembly earlier this 12 months with eight of the most important protection contractors, in addition to approval by Congress for funding buy contracts for weapons along with the continuing drawdown and switch of programs from the US army stockpile.
The Pentagon has put into place an in depth bureaucratic construction to evaluate Ukraine’s wants and attempt to speed up supplying them, it mentioned. A brand new “senior integration group” of senior officers evaluations Ukraine’s newest operational wants.
The funding may doubtlessly come from the Ukraine Safety Help Initiative, which is a pot of practically $1 billion for contracting for weapons for Ukraine. Practically $240 million has been contracted for in areas starting from Switchblade drones to safe communications units.
