US plans to provide Ukraine with Stryker armored vehicles and GLSDB rockets
According to the sources, the announcement is slated for Jan. 20, when defense ministers of pro-Ukraine international coalition will gather for their eight “Ramstein” meeting.
Read also: Ukraine aiming for promises of supplies of powerful weapons at next Ramstein meeting
One official confirmed that Washington will not include Abrams main battle tanks in the package. The decision to withhold heavy tanks for now is reportedly rooted not in “fear of escalation,” but rather in concerns over Ukraine’s ability to maintain Abrams tanks and keep them supplied with ammunition and fuel.
Besides Stryker vehicles, the tranche is said to include GLSDB rockets for HIMARS and M270 rocket artillery launchers, capable of striking targets 150 kilometers away – a substantial upgrade to Ukraine’s long-range artillery capability.
GLSDB stands for Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb, with each units costing $40,000 – drastically cheaper than $1 million ATACMS missiles, which Kyiv has been requesting for months, hoping to extend its reach beyond the frontlines to disrupt the logistics of Moscow’s forces in Ukraine.
U.S. Under Secretary of Defense Colin Kahl earlier said the United States “recognizes” Ukraine’s need for long-range weapons.
Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
