As expected, during the visit of President Zelensky to the USA, the Pentagon announced the composition of the next military aid package for Ukraine. Finally air defense systems MIM-104 Patriot and many other useful things worth $1.85 billion.

Conditionally, the aid package is divided into two parts. $1 billion was allocated within the framework of the powers of US President Joe Biden by his decree. Another $850 million comes from the US Department of Defense as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).

The first package includes:

  • one MIM-104 Patriot air defense system battery with missiles for it;
  • 120 HMMWV;
  • 37 Cougar MRAP armored vehicles;
  • 6 armored trucks;
  • additional ammunition for HIMARS;
  • 500 high-precision shells of 155 mm caliber;
  • 10 120 mm caliber mortars and 10,000 mines for them;
  • 10 82 mm caliber mortars;
  • 10 60 mm caliber mortars;
  • anti-radar missiles AGM-88 HARM ;
  • JDAM high-precision aerial bombs;
  • over 2,700 grenade launchers and small arms;
  • anti-personnel mines;
  • explosives and equipment;
  • night vision devices and optics;
  • secured tactical level communication systems;
  • body armor and other equipment.

New Year’s gifts from the Pentagon: a battery of Patriot air defense systems, 120 HMMWVs, 37 Cougar MRAPs, missiles for HIMARS, shells for howitzers and more

The second package contains:

  • 45,000 shells of 152 mm caliber;
  • 20,000 shells of 122 mm caliber;
  • 50,000 rockets of 122 mm caliber for BM-21 Grad systems;
  • 100,000 125 mm tank ammunition;
  • terminals and satellite communication services;
  • financing of training and maintenance.

New Year’s gifts from the Pentagon: a battery of Patriot air defense systems, 120 HMMWVs, 37 Cougar MRAPs, missiles for HIMARS, shells for howitzers and more

Note that this is specifically the MIM-104 Patriot battery, which is usually six launchers. If this is the PAC-3 MSE version that the US Army has been receiving since 2015, then each launcher contains 4 launch containers with 4 missiles each. That is, 16 missiles per launcher and… impressive 96 anti-aircraft missiles in a combined round! Of course, you don’t scatter launchers all over Ukraine, but this is a very serious upgrade of our air defense system.