US buys more Stinger missiles to send to Ukraine

The US military has signed a contract to buy Stinger missiles worth $ 687 million to replenish Washington’s stockpile to send to Ukraine, sources told Reuters news agency in an exclusive report.

According to a document reviewed by the news agency, the contract for a total of 1,468 Stingers was offered on May 25. Delivery is estimated to take up to 30 months.

According to reports, the shoulder-fired anti-aircraft Stinger missiles manufactured by Raytheon Technologies are very popular with Ukrainian forces, which Kiev uses to thwart Russian attacks from the air.

The Pentagon and Raytheon did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

The Stinger missile is a self-contained, light weapon that can be rapidly deployed to destroy helicopters, planes, drones and even cruise missiles.

The administration of President Joe Biden and his allies have continuously supplied Ukraine with increasingly sophisticated and diverse weapons, including long-range weapons, such as the M777 howitzer.

On May 11, the US House of Representatives approved a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine, including $8.7 billion to replenish the US arsenal sent to Ukraine.

The bill also provides an additional $11 billion for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which would allow President Biden to make the transfer of goods and services from U.S. warehouses without congressional approval to deal with it. with emergencies.

The Pentagon said the Stinger production line was closed in December 2020. In July 2021, Raytheon won a contract to produce Stinger missiles, but mainly for international governments, according to the US military.