America sends “Hawk” missile system to Ukraine
The United States is considering sending old air defense equipment, including the Hawk missile system, to Ukraine to help defend against drone and missile attacks, two US officials told the news agency. Cruise is Russia.
The Hawk missiles are considered more advanced than the Stinger missiles, a smaller, shorter-range air defense system previously sent to Ukraine.
Reuters added: “Joe Biden’s administration is going to use the legal authority known as (PDA) to quickly transfer the Hawk equipment, which is based on the technology of the Vietnam War era but has been upgraded several times.” The PDA law in the United States allows the president to quickly send bills and defense services without congressional approval in response to emergency situations.
The White House has so far refused to comment on the number of missiles it plans to send to Ukraine. But US officials have told Reuters that the Hawk missile system is actually the older generation of the Patriot missile system, which is not currently on the agenda to be sent to Ukraine.
Biden had previously promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to provide advanced air systems to Kiev after the Russian missile bombardment earlier this month.
Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary General of NATO, recently announced the sending of four Hawk launchers by Spain.
Because the missile systems have been in storage for decades and it is unclear how many missiles are still intact, Washington is sending interceptor missiles to the Hawk system in the first place, several government officials told Reuters. Biden is likely to put the use of the PDA rule on the agenda later this week, the sources said. An American official also added that this would probably include half of the most recent US security aid to Ukraine, which is about $700 million.
It is not yet clear how many Hawk missiles will be sent to Ukraine, but US officials have previously indicated that the size and composition of military aid packages to Kiev could change rapidly.
Since Russia’s attack on Ukraine on February 24 (March 5, 1400), the United States has sent nearly $17.6 billion in security aid to Kiev.