The US Department of Defense will sign a contract worth $ 17.8m to manufacture and ship Switchblade UAVs to Ukraine.
CNN reported this with reference to Deputy Secretary of Defense William A. LaPlante
He noted that these UAVs would be purchased as a part of additional funding for the Security Assistance to Ukraine Initiative, approved by the US Congress in the middle of March. LaPlante said the total budget for the project equals $ 300m. Up to now, the Ministry of Defense has allocated $ 136.8m out of this amount.
Within eight contracts of the Initiative, Ukraine will receive UAVs "Puma," precision weapons, communication devices, military medical equipment, consumables, and binoculars.
LaPlante added that the Pentagon is also using $ 1.45bn in funding approved by the US Congress in the middle of March as additional assistance to Ukraine to replace US stock of "Javelins" and "Stingers," and the main components for these weapons.
Earlier it was reported that Ukraine has already received 80% of the promised M777 howitzers from the USA.