Top Pentagon officials met with the leaders of the eight largest Defense Department contractors to discuss the military aid the United States is providing to Ukrainian forces.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen H. Hicks, Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Andrew Hunter, and other senior Pentagon leaders participated in the classified meeting Wednesday with representatives from Boeing Defense, Space & Security; L3Harris Technologies; Raytheon Technologies; BAE Systems; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Huntington Ingalls Industries; General Dynamics; and Northrop Grumman.
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Hicks stressed their three strategic objectives: delivering “critical capabilities” to Ukraine as the country fights Russian aggression, enhancing the preparedness of U.S. forces, and supporting allies by bolstering their defense capabilities.
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“The dialogue focused on accelerating the production and fielding of systems that are critical to the Department’s ongoing security assistance to Ukraine, as well as broader efforts to increase the readiness of U.S., Ally, and partner force,” Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon said in a statement. “Department leaders sought to understand what challenges large companies in the defense industrial base faced in accelerating fielding of critical capabilities, and how the Department might be able to alleviate these issues.”
The meeting occurred the same day President Joe Biden authorized another $800 million in military aid to Ukraine, including 11 Mi-17 helicopters, 500 Javelin missiles and thousands of other anti-armor systems, 300 Switchblade unmanned aerial systems, and more.
“As Russia prepares to intensify its attack in the Donbas region, the United States will continue to provide Ukraine with the capabilities to defend itself,” Biden said in a statement. “This new package of assistance will contain many of the highly effective weapons systems we have already provided and new capabilities tailored to the wider assault we expect Russia to launch in eastern Ukraine.”
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The aid also includes chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear protective gear, including individual equipment, protective suits, and individual detection devices, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby explained during Wednesday’s briefing.
The U.S. has provided Ukraine with approximately $2.6 billion in military aid since the beginning of Russia’s invasion Feb. 24.
