US gives Ukraine dozens of Bradleys in $2.85B as largest military aid ever

The greatest aid package to Kyiv to far, according to the White House, was $3 billion in military support announced by the US on Friday.
The help, which would be further described by the Pentagon, was likely to include Bradley infantry combat vehicles, MRAPs and other personnel carriers, and self-propelled howitzers, according to press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

The day before, both Washington and Berlin made vague announcements about providing armored vehicles: Bradleys from the United States and Marders from Germany.

Berlin announced on Friday that it would send roughly 40 Marder vehicles to Ukraine within a few weeks, along with instruction on how to use them.
They will boost the firepower available to Ukrainian forces, along with the Bradleys, which typically carry a 25 mm autocannon, a 7.62 mm machine gun, and anti-tank missiles.


National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told journalists that the Bradleys “are very significant in terms of being able to do what we call combined arms maneuver warfare,” an area in which the Pentagon has said it will provide training to Kyiv’s forces.
The vehicles are “very much tied to the war that we’re seeing on the ground right now and what we anticipate we’ll see throughout the winter months,” Kirby said.


The previous day, the Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said that the Bradley was “not a tank, but it’s a tank killer, we’re confident that it will aid them on the battlefield,” he added.”

Tanks and other more powerful weapons that will support its operations have long been demanded by Ukraine. Western countries have been hesitant to send them due to concerns that they would escalate the conflict or antagonize Russia.

However, the Ukrainians have gained strength, and Western countries have increased the amount of weapons they give to them.

After France pledged to supply its AMX-10 RC light tanks, which are wheeled rather than tracked but share the much heavier cannon typical of a tank, the US and Germany made their declaration regarding the armored vehicles.

The French action increased political pressure on Germany to assist Ukraine further.
Germany also said on Thursday that it would deliver a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine in addition to the United States, which will give Kyiv's military access to two of the cutting-edge air defense systems.

References
Punchng, 'US announces largest aid package for Ukraine' (online, 2023) <https://punchng.com/us-announces-largest-aid-package-for-ukraine/>.