The outgoing Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced a new military aid package to Ukraine worth $500 million. The package is mainly comprised of air defense systems (AIM-7 Sparrow, RIM-7, and AIM-9M Sidewinder), air-to-ground munitions, small arms ammunition, and support equipment of Ukraine’s growing F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet.  

But it wasn’t just the U.S. that committed additional military aid to Ukraine. Poland will soon announce another package of military aid to Kyiv.

Moreover, Germany announced that it would provide Ukrainian air defense with additional IRIS-T air defense munitions. Alongside the MIM-104 Patriot and NASAMS (National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) air defense batteries, the IRIS-T systems have kept Ukrainian air space reasonably safe. And that is no easy feat.

The Kremlin has used long-range munitions and suicide drones to target and attack Ukrainian urban centers and critical infrastructure. The Russian military has launched thousands of ballistic and cruise missiles and suicide drones against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Although they don’t directly affect the situation on the frontlines, air defense are a key component of the overall Ukrainian defense against Russian aggression. 

Security aid has kept Ukraine afloat. Yes, the Ukrainian people have shown remarkable grit and willingness to sacrifice to maintain their freedom against Russian oppression. But without Western military aid, the Ukrainian military would not have had the tools necessary to wage a three-year war against a country that was considered a conventional near-peer adversary to the United States. 

The U.S. has led the effort to equip Ukraine with the necessary tools to fend off Russia’s aggression. With over $60 billion in military aid in about three years or $20 billion per year, the U.S. has allowed Ukraine to stay in the fight. 

At the same time, those funds have seriously degraded the combat capabilities of the Russian armed forces, America’s main adversary after China. Russia has lost over 800,000 troops in the fighting, killed or wounded, as well as tens of thousands of heavy weapon systems.

For all terms and purposes, the Russian military is no longer a conventional near-peer adversary to the U.S. military—however, it does remain a near-peer threat when it comes to nuclear weapons. The Pentagon spends around $800 billion every year. Out of those funds, approximately $150 billion are geared to counter Russia. And yet, with just $20 billion per year, the U.S. is funding the destruction of the Russian armed forces.

That is not a bad deal. 

There are Drones, too 

But the incoming military aid doesn’t concern just air defense systems. A coalition of countries that includes the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Latvia, and the Netherlands announced that they will provide the Ukrainian military with 30,000 unmanned aerial systems. The coalition didn’t provide a specific timeframe for the delivery of the drones. 

Drones are playing a protagonist role in the conflict, with both sides using unmanned aerial systems in a variety of tactical, operational, and strategic roles. 

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MA from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

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