Ukraine Seeks Weapons to Beat Back Russia: Here’s What It’s Got

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(Bloomberg) —

Ukraine’s allies have provided more than 4,000 armored vehicles, artillery pieces, aircraft and other weapon systems to help Kyiv fight Russia, and now NATO’s most powerful members are sending more lethal arms.

After months of caution, the UK said on Saturday it would provide Kyiv with Challenger 2s, among NATO’s most powerful top-shelf main battle tanks. That followed announcements from France, the US and Germany that they would provide Kyiv with fighting vehicles and has raised pressure on governments to give Ukraine more of the alliance’s best armored vehicles designed to destroy other tanks and take back territory from an enemy.

Here is a breakdown of some of the main systems that Ukraine has received, according to Oryx, a Dutch open-source defense analysis website, as well as announcements from Ukraine’s allies. The numbers are approximations and couldn’t be independently verified by Bloomberg. They may include items pledged but not delivered, and other items not included may have been delivered but not made public.

Tanks

410 Soviet-era tanks delivered by NATO members in former communist bloc, including Poland, Czech Republic and Slovenia.
The UK pledged to send Challenger 2s to Ukraine, the first time a Western country will have provided Ukraine with modern main battle tanks to fight Russian forces. The Sun newspaper said 12 would be sent in at least two shipments, although the UK government didn’t confirm the number.
Poland pledged a “company” of German-made Leopard 2 battle tanks if other NATO allies make a similar commitment.
Discussions continue in the US and Germany about whether they could also send main battle tanks.

Western defense officials meet Jan. 20 at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where they will likely discuss sending more tanks. So far they have been concerned that doing so could provoke a response from Russia.

Armored/Infantry Fighting Vehicles

300 in all, including 250 Soviet-designed IFVs from former communist states.
In a first, France announced last week it will deliver an unspecified number of AMX-10RC wheeled tank destroyers.
The US and Germany said they will provide 50 and 40 Bradley and Marder fighting vehicles, respectively.

IFVs can transport troops and provide close attack support, including against enemy tanks. David Perkins, a retired US four-star general, said it would be “more than a match” for the T-72s that make up the bulk of Russia’s tank fleet.

Armored Personnel Carriers

1,100 in all, including 300 M113 troop carriers and 250 M117s.
More than 160 US-made M113s from seven other countries including the UK, Lithuania, Australia, Germany, Denmark, Portugal and Spain.
Several hundred other vehicles, including armored medical treatment centers.

Distinct from Infantry Fighting Vehicles, these armored transports can carry forces on the battlefield, but they have lighter weapons such as heavy machine guns that are mainly used for self defense.

Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles

About 925 in all, including 440 US M1224 MaxxPros.
90 Australian Bushmasters and a number of UK Wolfhounds and Mastiffs.

These vehicles are similar to APCs but are specifically designed with angled hulls to protect occupants against mines and improvised explosive devices.

Infantry Mobility Vehicles

More than 1,540, including including 1,250 US-made High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, or Humvees.

These wheeled personnel carriers — usually armored — move soldiers around the battlefield in attack, reconnaissance and patrol roles.

Artillery

300 towed howitzers.
Of those, more than 210 155mm M777s and 72 105mm Howitzers from the US.
400+ pieces of self-propelled artillery, of which 180 is on order.
Of those, more than 20 155mm howitzers from Britain, and 18 each from Poland, Germany and the US, among others.

Multiple Rocket Launchers

95 in all.
38 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, known as HIMARS, made by US-based Lockheed Martin.
40+ 122mm communist-era multiple rocket launchers from Poland and the Czech Republic.

One of the most potent weapons for Ukraine, HIMARS allow for accurate, long-range strikes. Ukraine has used them mainly to destroy Russian ammunition dumps and command and control centers, as well as troop assembly points.

Anti-Air Systems

37 German Gepard self-propelled tanks.
Eight US-made NASAMS missile batteries.
One US and one German-provided Patriot missile battery.
Six Strela-10Ms rocket systems from the Czech Republic.
Six Stormer HVMs from the UK.
A handful of other surface-to-air missile systems from Slovakia, Germany, Spain, France and Poland.

The German Gepards are self-propelled tanks that can shoot down low-flying cruise missiles, while the rocket systems can hit airborne targets at higher altitudes. In December, both the US and Germany said they would each donate a Patriot missile battery — the most advanced Western anti-aircraft system that can target shorter-range ballistic missiles of the type that could carry a tactical nuclear warhead, a threat that Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested is an option.

Aircraft

14 Russian-made Su-25 ground-attack jets purchased from Bulgaria by NATO states and delivered to Ukraine.
Four Su-25s from North Macedonia.
20 Russian-made Mi17 helicopters originally destined for Afghanistan donated by the US.
11 Soviet-designed helicopters from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Latvia.
Three UK Westland Sea Kings.
Six Russian-made Kamov helicopters from Portugal.
30+Bayraktar TB2 drones from Turkey, plus one each from Lithuania and Poland.
Hundreds of US Switchblade loitering munition systems.
415 reconnaissance drones.

Long-Range Missiles

No one has agreed to Kyiv’s request for the long-range guided Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACAMS, which can hit targets with at much further distances than HIMARS.

Some Western officials have voiced concerns about giving Ukrainian forces more potential to strike targets deep inside Russia, as it could lead to a direct confrontation with Moscow.

Others

Other items include missiles that can be used against enemy radar, ships, and surface targets, as well as electronic warfare equipment, unmanned waterborne vessels, radar equipment and other systems.

–With assistance from Jeremy Diamond and Patrick Donahue.

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