The Pentagon has transferred $1.4 billion out of a new Ukraine Replacement Transfer Fund to replenish the stockpiles of weapons the US has been sending to Ukraine, Washington Examiner reported Friday.
The $1.4 billion came from the $13.6 billion for Ukraine aid that was included in a spending bill President Biden signed into law in March. Out of the $1.4 billion, $1.1 billion will go to the Army to replenish Stinger anti-aircraft missile systems and Javelin anti-tank missile systems, and the Navy is receiving $370 million for Stingers.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, the US has sent Kyiv 5,500 Javelins and 1,400 Stingers. It’s estimated that the US has given Ukraine a third of its Javelin stockpiles and a quarter of its Stinger stockpile.
Earlier this week, President Biden visited a Lockheed Martin facility in Alabama that manufactures Javelins in a demonstration of his focus on arming Ukraine. Javelins are a joint project between Lockheed and Raytheon, while Stingers are solely produced by Raytheon, the former employer of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Since Russia’s attack, Biden has sent about $3.4 billion in military aid to Kyiv, and that number is set to increase dramatically. He has asked Congress for an additional $33 billion in new Ukraine aid, including $20.4 billion for military assistance.
