The United States is considering sending HAWK air defense equipment from storage to Ukraine to help defend it against Russian drone and missile attacks.
This is what two American officials told.
It is further stated that the Biden administration would use the Presidential Withdrawal Authority (PDA) to transfer the HAWK equipment which is based on Vietnam-era technology but has been upgraded several times.
The PDA allows the US to transfer defense items and services from stockpiles quickly without congressional approval in response to an emergency.
It is not known yet how many HAWK systems and missiles the United States has available to transfer.
Meanwhile, the White House has refused to comment. The HAWK system is the predecessor of the PATRIOT missile defense system made by Raytheon Technologies, which remains “off the table” for Ukraine, US officials told.
US President Joe Biden pledged to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Washington would provide Ukraine with advanced air defense systems following a devastating missile barrage by Russia earlier this month.
Since the start of Russian aggression in neighboring Ukraine on February 24, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”, the US has sent about $17.6 billion in security aid to Kiev.