![]() While the US will not be able to provide high-end munitions to Ukraine indefinitely, assessing whether the US is “running low” on stockpiles is subjective, one senior defense official said, as it depends on how much risk the Pentagon is willing to take on. Top US general argues Ukraine may be in a position of strength to negotiate Russian withdrawalĭefense officials say the crunch is not affecting US readiness, as the weapons sent to Ukraine don’t come out of what the US keeps for its own contingencies.īut the seriousness of the problem is a source of debate within the Defense Department, officials say. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Alex Wong/Getty Images The Ukraine Defense Contact Group met again to discuss aiding for Ukraine amid Russia's invasion. Mark Milley speaks during a press briefing after a virtual Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at the Pentagon on Novemin Arlington, Virginia. Without the need to produce weapons and ammunition for a war, the US has not manufactured the quantities of materiel needed to sustain an enduring, high-intensity conflict.ĪRLINGTON, VIRGINIA - NOVEMBER 16: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Some sources also raised concerns about US production of additional weapons systems, including HARMs anti-radiation missiles, GMLRS surface-to-surface missiles and the portable Javelin anti-tank missiles – although the US has moved to ramp up production for those and other systems.įor the first time in two decades, the US is not directly involved in a conflict after withdrawing from Afghanistan and transitioning to an advisory role in Iraq. One of the officials said the stockpiles of certain systems are “dwindling” after nearly nine months of sending supplies to Kyiv during the high-intensity war, as there’s “finite amount” of excess stocks which the US has available to send.Īmong the weapons systems where there’s particular concern about US stockpiles meeting Ukrainian demands are 155mm artillery ammunition and Stinger anti-aircraft shoulder-fired missiles, the sources said. ![]() The strain on weapons stockpiles – and the ability of the US industrial base to keep up with demand – is one of the key challenges facing the Biden administration as the US continues to send billions of dollars of weapons to Ukraine to support its fight against Russia. MOSAIC 05.As the first full winter of Russia’s war with Ukraine sets in, the US is running low on some high-end weapons systems and ammunition available to transfer to Kyiv, three US officials with direct knowledge tell CNN. It may be difficult to undertake these actions but the concrete character of weapons management should warrant unrelenting attention. Warehouses can be upgraded, surpluses can be destroyed, illicit arms can be collected and serial numbers can be recorded and traced.
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