“Support to win the war”: Biden announces big aid package for Ukraine with possible surprise for Russians
26 September 2024 14:33
US President Joe Biden has announced a large aid package for Ukraine worth USD 8 billion. This is stated in a statement published on the White House website, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
“I am proud to welcome President Zelensky to the White House today. For nearly three years, the United States has been uniting the world to support the people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom against Russian aggression, and it is my administration’s priority to provide Ukraine with the support it needs to win,” Biden said,
– Biden said.
He noted Ukraine’s successes, recalling that during this time, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have liberated Kyiv, returned more than half of the territories seized by Russia and defended their sovereignty. At the same time, the US President stressed that there is still much work to be done.
“That is why today I am announcing a powerful new aid package for Ukraine,”
– Biden said.
Points of the new aid package
- Additional funding for security assistance
Biden said that the US Department of Defence will allocate all remaining funds earmarked for support for Ukraine until the end of his term. He also authorised the use of $5.5bn in Presidential Funds to provide arms support to Ukraine and restore US stockpiles. - New arms supplies
The US will provide Ukraine with $2.4bn through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which will include additional air defence systems, drones and air-to-ground munitions. Ukraine’s defence industry and support for weapons maintenance will also be strengthened. - Long-range weapons
Biden announced that Ukraine will receive Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), a long-range munition that will significantly increase the strike capabilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. - Improving air defence systems
The US will provide another Patriot battery and additional missiles to help defend Ukrainian cities, complementing previous deliveries of hundreds of Patriot and AMRAAM missiles to be delivered to Ukraine over the next year. - Support for the Ukrainian Air Force
The US Department of Defence will expand training for Ukrainian F-16 pilots, including additional training for 18 pilots next year. - Fighting Russian financial fraud
The US also continues to put pressure on Russia through new measures against sanctions evasion. According to Biden, the US Department of Justice, the Treasury Department, and the Secret Service have launched an operation to shut down a global cryptocurrency network that was operating to benefit the Russian defence industry.
The US president also announced a leadership meeting in Germany next month, where more than 50 countries participating in the Ukraine Defence Support Group will agree on further steps.
“My message is clear: The United States will provide Ukraine with all the help it needs to win this war,”
– Biden concluded.
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Is AGM-154 JSOW a surprise for the Russians?
First of all, the AGM-154 JSOW is not a long-range weapon at all. Moreover, it is not even a missile, but a cruise missile. Its range is a maximum of 130 km in high-altitude flight. However, according to the Defence Express portal, the Ukrainian air force rarely uses high-altitude flight due to the total superiority of Russian fighters and the suppression of Ukrainian air defence systems. From a low altitude, the JSOW can be sent to a conventional range of 40 kilometres, or even less.
After the Ukrainians were expecting the delivery of real long-range AGM-158 JASSM missiles (range – 360 km) for the F-16, it seems that the announced AGM-154 JSOWs are a betrayal. However, the same Defence Express warns against jumping to conclusions. The portal claims that there is one fairly simple and elegant way to turn this bomb into a real long-range cruise missile.
In short and simplistic terms, a special jet engine can be added to the bomb, which will extend its range to 550 km, even 1.5 times longer than the JASSM. Such engines were developed by the bomb manufacturer Raytheon and even tested. The entire project was scrapped in favour of JASSM, but the important thing is that the US has ready-made engine solutions. And such engines can be made even on a 3D printer.
Thus, it is possible that the United States will provide Ukraine with a basic bomb package that is not a long-range weapon. In this way, the United States avoids crossing Putin’s “red lines”, which they have invented for themselves. And Ukraine is already turning this bomb into a powerful long-range cruise missile.
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