The administration of US President Joe Biden has approved the deployment of long-range multiple rocket launchers to Ukraine, which could significantly help Ukraine defend its territory in Donbas, reported by nytimes.com, citing sources in authorities.
The transfer is likely to be announced next week. The aid package will include mobile missile systems that can fire much further than those currently used by Ukraine.
Although officials have not provided details on what types of missiles the United States will provide, the Pentagon most often uses the M31 GMLRS (Gueded Multiple Launch Rocket System), a high-precision satellite-guided weapon that contains about the same amount of explosives as the 500-pound air bomb, ”the statement said.
“It can fly more than 40 miles, far exceeding the range of any artillery currently used by Ukraine. According to a report released by Congressional Research in June, the Pentagon has spent about $5.4 billion to buy more than 42,000 such missiles since 1998,” said nytimes.com.
For that reason, there had been some skittishness among administration officials that the russian president, vladimir putin, could view the transfer as provocative.
But the official said that the administration is seeking to make sure that the United States can reasonably make the argument that it is not providing Ukraine with the capability to strike deep into russian territory.
The United States plans to include High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or Himars, multiple-rocket launchers that move on wheeled truck chassis, in the next weapons package for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby on Friday, May 27, refused to confirm that the decision to supply the equipment was made, CNN reported.
Yesterday CNN reported that the US presidential administration indeed was preparing to approve the transfer of the Multiple Launch Rocket System [MLRS] to Ukraine, which was the main request of Ukrainian officials at this time.