Ukraine’s support provoked the mobilization of the defense industry in the United States of America. The assistance to the Armed Forces also strengthened the defense capabilities of the United States, which has not been observed in the country for decades, the US Department of Defense reported.
Since the February 24, 2022, Russian invasion, the U.S. has committed approximately $44 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. Assistance has been provided through either presidential drawdown authority, where equipment is pulled from the military’s inventory and sent overseas, or through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, where the government contracts directly with industry to send new equipment to Ukraine once it’s ready, the department reported
“When capability is pulled from existing U.S. inventory, it must be replaced to ensure U.S. military units maintain their own readiness. As of mid-November, the department has obligated nearly $17 billion toward purchasing replacements for the equipment that was sent to Ukraine from U.S. stocks,” the US Department of Defense said.
The US Department of Defense has committed some USD 3.3 billion in funding across 18 states to help defense contractors both expand and modernize existing production lines and add new lines entirely. Contractors are making, among other things, the 155 mm artillery round, the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, and Stinger and Javelin missiles.
“Across the board, the response of our U.S. industrial base to meet Ukraine’s defense needs has been truly historic. It’s been a nationwide effort that spans the full spectrum of our supply chains in nearly every capability area. While there’s no question we still have significant work ahead of us to fully rebuild a modern defense industrial ecosystem, we should not lose sight of what we’ve been able to achieve together with our partners in industry over the past 21 months,” said William LaPlante, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment.
Infographic: the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment OUSD (https://www.acq.osd.mil/index.html)
In addition, the Biden administration is now distributing a map with data on how much US states have earned from US aid efforts to Ukraine, writes Politico.
“The circulation of the graphic is part of the administration’s push to sell the American public – and their congressional representatives – on President Joe Biden’s proposal to spend billions of additional taxpayer dollars on the wars in Ukraine and Israel,” journalists say.
The data on the map shows that, in particular, the state of Pennsylvania received USD 2.364 billion of investment to create ammunition and tactical vehicles for Ukraine – the most among other states. Arizona, meanwhile, ranks second with USD 2.259 billion. Texas and Arkansas received USD 1.449 billion and USD 1.478 billion, respectively, while Florida received USD 1.011 billion, Politico noted.
In total, the Department of Defense has ordered equipment worth more than USD 27 billion from suppliers in 37 states, according to data from the US Department of Defense.
“We send Ukraine equipment sitting in our stockpiles. And when we use the money allocated by Congress, we use it to replenish our own stores, our own stockpiles with new equipment,” earlier said US President Joe Biden, cited by Politico.
