Ukraine to Receive Patriot Missiles, AGM-154 JSOW Bombs in Massive U.S. Aid Package

Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky, the Biden administration approved the largest military aid package for Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in 2022.

Summary and Key Points: Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky, the Biden administration approved the largest military aid package for Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in 2022.

-The $7.9 billion in aid includes $5.5 billion under Presidential Drawdown Authority and $2.4 billion from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, focusing on air defense and long-term capabilities.

-Although Biden did not authorize the use of ATACMS missiles against Russian targets, Ukraine will receive AGM-154 JSOW bombs, enhancing its ability to strike high-value targets within Ukraine, including occupied Crimea.

-The aid highlights continued U.S. commitment to supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression.

Biden Boosts Ukraine’s Air Defense with New Aid, But Holds Back on ATACMS

On Thursday, the White House gave the green light to the largest package of military aid for Ukraine since the Russian military invaded its neighbor on February 24, 2022. 

After meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden announced a security package worth almost $8 billion.

The Ukrainian military is engaged in a brutal fight with an invading force that seeks to destroy Ukrainian culture and way of life. In many ways, Russia today is the personification of wanton aggression, hitting at a smaller neighbor who simply opposed being trampled over. Any help to Ukraine is a help to the cause of freedom. 

Billions in Military Aid 

The U.S. is allocating $7.9 billion in security aid to Ukraine. Of that sum, $5.5 billion will come in the form of Presidential Drawdown Authority and will be delivered to the Ukrainian military in an expedited manner. Another $2.4 billion will come through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and ensure that Ukrainian forces have the capabilities to fight in the long-run. 

“I have directed the Department of Defense to allocate all of its remaining security assistance funding that has been appropriated for Ukraine by the end of my term in office,” Biden said in a press statement. 

“To further strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses, I have directed the Department of Defense to refurbish and provide Ukraine with an additional Patriot air defense battery and to provide Ukraine with additional Patriot missiles,” Biden added.

The U.S. will also train more Ukrainian fighter jet pilots on the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. 

No ATACMS Authorization but AGM-154 JSOW Bombs 

In his statements, Biden didn’t include authorization for the Ukrainian military to use its MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) against military and high-value targets inside Russia.

For months, the Ukrainian government has been seeking authorization from the U.S. to use its ATACMS short-range ballistic missiles against targets inside Russia. Kyiv has been seeking the same permission from the United Kingdom regarding the use of the Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missile. 

There are hundreds of high-value military targets within Russia and at short distances from the border of Ukraine that the Ukrainian military cannot effectively target and destroy because it lacks permission from the West. Many believed that Biden would give the green light today. He didn’t. But at least he did give Ukraine another powerful weapon system to fight Russian units within Ukraine, including on the occupied Crimean Peninsula. 

The Ukrainian military will be receiving the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) long-range munition. A glide bomb with a range of around 80 miles (130 kilometers), the AGM-154 is expected to give the Ukrainian military additional firepower to target and take out Russian high-value targets, including command and control centers, troop concentrations, ammunition depots, transportation infrastructure, and air defense sites. Dropped by an aircraft as a fire-and-forget weapon, the JSOW has potent destructive capabilities and will help Ukrainian ground forces. 

Yet it remains the case that the Ukrainian military will be able to use the AGM-154 JSOW, the ATACMS, the Storm Shadow, and other advanced munitions against legitimate targets within Russia to curtail the capabilities of the Russian military and its ability to wage war inside Ukraine. 

About the Author

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.