The Pentagon has the capability to quickly move weapons to Ukraine if Congress passes a long-delayed aid bill. The CIA Director has warned that without additional aid from the US, Ukraine could lose the war to Russia by the end of the year. The Pentagon has a network of storage sites in the US and Europe that already hold the necessary ammunition and air defense components for Kyiv. However, the Pentagon has run out of funding, spending over $44 billion on weapons, maintenance, training, and spare parts since Russia’s invasion in February 2022. As a result, the Pentagon is $10 billion in debt, making it difficult to replace the systems sent to Ukraine.
The delay in weapons deliveries has led Ukrainian troops to ration their dwindling ammunition supplies. House Speaker Mike Johnson is pushing for the Ukraine funding bill to be passed despite internal party threats. If the bill is approved, President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately, triggering the Pentagon to begin delivering stockpiled weapons to Ukraine. The weapons can be provided through presidential drawdown authority, allowing the military to pull from its stockpiles, or through security assistance for longer-term contracts with the defense industry.
As the war in Ukraine continues, the US has sent increasingly larger and more lethal systems to the warfront, including air defense systems, armored vehicles, and sophisticated missiles. This has led to higher costs to replace these systems, causing the military to go deeper into debt. Without the passage of the foreign aid bill, the US Army may run out of funds, impacting troop movements and training. The military has massive storage facilities in the US for millions of rounds of munitions, with the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in Oklahoma capable of surging munitions in case of war.
The military also has storage facilities in Europe that would allow for quick delivery of certain munitions to Ukraine. Weapons such as 155 mm rounds and other artillery, along with some air defense munitions, could be sent almost immediately from these European storehouses. Germany and other European allies have set up maintenance hubs near the Ukrainian border to help with repairs and training on Western systems sent to Ukraine. Overall, the US is prepared to move weapons quickly to Ukraine once the necessary funding is approved by Congress.
The urgency to provide additional aid to Ukraine is crucial as the situation in the country continues to deteriorate due to Russia’s aggression. The Pentagon’s ability to quickly move weapons to Ukraine hinges on Congress passing the necessary funding to replenish the supplies sent to the war-torn country. Without this funding, Ukrainian troops will face further challenges in defending against Russian forces. It remains to be seen whether Congress will prioritize the Ukraine aid bill and secure the necessary funding to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
