U.S. to Provide 580 Phoenix Ghost Attack Drones to Ukraine

The White House said the U.S. will deliver 580 Phoenix Ghost attack drones to Ukraine as part of the new $270 million additional security assistance.

This package includes President Biden’s announcement of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $175 million, as well as $95 million in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds.

The Presidential Drawdown is the sixteenth such drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine that the Biden Administration has authorized since August 2021. Capabilities in this package include additional quantities of weapons systems and equipment that Ukrainians have been using so effectively on the battlefield to defend their country, including: Four additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and additional ammunition for HIMARS; Four Command Post Vehicles; 36,000 rounds of 105mm ammunition; Additional anti-armor weapons, spare parts, and other equipment.

Under USAI, the DoD will also provide Ukraine with up to 580 Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Unlike Presidential Drawdown, USAI is an authority under which the United States procures capabilities from industry rather than delivering equipment that is drawn down from DoD stocks. This announcement represents the beginning of a contracting process to provide additional capabilities to Ukraine's Armed Forces.

The United States has now committed approximately $8.2 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration.