Pentagon Unveils $375 Million Aid for Ukraine, the AGM-158 JASSM Cruise Missiles May Be Included
The United States has announced new $375 million military aid package for Ukraine, delivered through the Presidential Drawdown Authority, meaning the equipment is sourced from existing Pentagon stockpiles. Prior to this announcement, there had been widespread speculation about the package’s potential contents.
There were rumors that the aid might include the AGM-158 JASSM cruise missiles or AGM-154 JSOW precision-guided bombs, which could theoretically be adapted into long-range cruise missiles for Ukrainian use. However, the official contents of the package are as follows:
- Air-to-ground munitions;
- Ammunition for the HIMARS, 155 mm, and 105 mm artillery systems,
- The Javelin anti-tank missiles, AT-4 grenade launchers, TOW anti-tank missiles;
- The M1117 armored vehicles, MRAPs, light tactical vehicles, armored bridge layers;
- Patrol boats;
- Small arms, engineering equipment, ammunition, spare parts, and auxiliary equipment.
The inclusion of air-to-ground munitions is notable, as this term is being used for the first time in the U.S. aid packages. Previously, “precision aerial munitions” phrase was used, which covered guided aerial weapons like the AGM-88 HARM, JDAM-ER, and SDB. This shift in terminology suggests the possible introduction of new munitions intended for aircraft targeting ground positions, possibly indicating the provision of the AGM-158 JASSM or AGM-154 JSOW.
It’s important to highlight that while the Pentagon has released an updated inventory of transferred weapons, facilitating comparison with previous aid packages, air-to-ground munitions are not explicitly listed.
Despite this, the quantities of some other items can be estimated. For instance, the package includes additional 150 M1117 armored vehicles, 9 bridge layers, and over 10 patrol boats. Many other items remain unspecified or are listed in general terms, such as “over 100” or “over 1000”, which remains consistent with prior packages.