The State Department has approved an emergency $138 million foreign military sales package for Ukraine to provide critical repairs and spare parts for Kyiv’s Hawk missile systems. This decision was made in response to Ukraine's urgent need for maintenance support to ensure the missile system remains operational.
Last month, the Pentagon announced a smaller round of $300 million in munitions support for Ukraine, utilizing contract savings to offset the costs. Both the State and Defense Departments have been exploring avenues to continue providing support to Ukraine while a $60 billion aid package for the country remains stalled in Congress.
The Hawk missile system is a medium-range surface-to-air missile system that plays a crucial role in Ukraine's air defense capabilities. The State Department emphasized that enhancing Ukraine's ability to defend against Russian missile strikes and aerial threats is paramount to safeguarding its people and critical national infrastructure.
During a recent Capitol Hill hearing, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin underscored the significance of supporting Ukraine, stating that failure to do so could result in Ukraine falling to Russia, with far-reaching global implications for national security. The potential fall of Kyiv could also pose a threat to Ukraine's Baltic NATO member neighbors and potentially draw U.S. troops into a protracted European conflict.
The maintenance work on the Hawk systems will be carried out by contractors from RTX Corporation in Massachusetts and PROJECTXYZ in Huntsville, Alabama. The necessary parts for repairing the systems will be sourced from U.S. Army stock, third-country donations, commercial off-the-shelf components, and new production.
