At least some new military aid may be trickling into Ukraine via U.S. arms dealers despite House Republicans’ opposition to more funding for the beleaguered country. In November, the Pentagon announced that five companies had won the right to compete for slices of a $490 million contract to provide “special ammunition and weapons” to the U.S. Army: Northrop Grumman, Global Military Products, Blane International, and Ultra Defense Corp. On Feb. 7, the Army again picked Northrop and Global Military Products to compete for slices of a “special ammunition and weapons contract”—this one worth $133.9 million. These awards do not mention Ukraine or that the materiel will be sent to a foreign military. However, Northrop Grumman and Global Military Products received a $522 million contract in January 2023 to supply Ukraine with artillery shells.
A week after the Pentagon announced its $490 million competition in November, it awarded the first slice to Global Military Products, amounting to $121,173.80 for ammunition from Romania. The other competitors, Ultra Defense Corp and Blane International, also have connections to Ukraine, with Ultra Defense Corp having previously sold weapons to Ukraine and Blane International having connections to Ukraine for at least two decades. The Pentagon’s use of such companies may suggest the transfer of weapons to Ukraine through third-party countries to hide the origins.
As of Jan. 15, 2023, the Pentagon has issued contracts for $12.3 billion of the total $18.9 billion available under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. The unspent funds and continuing contracts to U.S. arms dealers indicate ongoing military support for Ukraine. Deliveries of aid are expected to continue until at least October 2024, but may not be sufficient for Ukraine to defend adequately against Russian forces. Without further aid, Ukraine may face a collapse of its government, as Russia seeks to gain control over Ukrainian territories.
