The US is considering sending Hawk Air defense teams to Ukraine to counter a wave of Russian attacks

US explores possible deployment to Ukraine HAWK Air Defense Equipment The old ones are stored to help deal with Russian drone and cruise missile attacks.

HAWK interceptor missiles will be an improvement of the systems Missiles Stinger — a small and short-range air defense system — the US has already deployed to stop a Russian invasion.

The Biden administration will use it, according to information obtained by Reuters through two U.S. officials Presidential Reduction Commission (PDA) to replace the HAWK equipment, which is based on Vietnam-era technology but has been improved many times over. The PDA allows the United States to quickly transfer defense goods and services from its stockpile without congressional approval in response to an emergency.

It is not publicly known how many HAWK systems and missiles the US has for exchange. The White House declined to comment.

The HAWK system is a precursor to the Patriot missile defense system, manufactured by Raytheon Technologies, which is off the table for Ukraine, U.S. officials told The Associated Press. Reuters.

US President Joe Biden promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Washington would provide Ukraine. Advanced air systems Following Russia’s devastating missile attack earlier this month.

The US is likely to send HAWK interceptor missiles to Ukraine first, as it is unclear if there are any. Enough American launchers A US official said he was in good condition Reuters. US systems have been in storage for decades.

Government sources said the possibility of issuing the PDA order by the end of this week is being explored. This would be half the size of recent security aid packages, an official said $700 million.

It is unclear whether HAWK interceptor missiles will be included, but US officials have previously warned that the size and composition of military aid packages could change quickly.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, for his part, said Spain wants to deploy four HAWK launchers.

Since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of neighboring Ukraine in what Moscow calls a “special military operation,” the United States has sent about $17.6 billion in security aid to Kyiv.

(With information from Reuters)

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