On Wednesday, the US announced it will provide Ukraine with VAMPIRE counter-UAS systems, which are part of a $3 billion security assistance package. These counter-drone systems use “small missiles essentially to shoot missiles out of the sky.” This is part of a larger effort by the US to train Ukrainian forces on all systems they are providing. The training has been happening on a “rolling basis,” according to Department of Defense undersecretary for policy Dr. Colin Kahl.
The United States believes there is time to train the Ukrainians on whatever systems they are not familiar with, according to deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine war and Eurasia Kahl. The latest security assistance comes from Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funding—meaning it will be sourced and produced by industry partners and not directly from Department of Defense stockpiles of weapons—and could take months to get on contract and one or two years in some instances to arrive in Ukraine, Kahl said.
