The Washington Post reported on 25/3, citing three sources, that the Pentagon is considering diverting some interceptor missiles to the Middle East. These missiles were originally ordered under NATO's Ukraine Priority Requirements List (PURL) program, which was launched last year.
Two unnamed officials added that the Pentagon has informed the US Congress of its intention to use approximately 750 million USD from the PURL fund to replenish US military stockpiles, rather than sending additional weapons to Ukraine. It remains unclear whether European countries are aware of this option.
A spokesperson for the US Department of Defense affirmed the principle of "ensuring US forces and our allies and partners have what they need to fight and win," but declined to comment on the specific information.
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A Patriot launcher displayed at an undisclosed location in Ukraine in 8/2024. Photo: AFP
NATO did not respond to questions regarding whether the alliance is concerned about the potential diversion of US aid weapons from Ukraine to the Middle East. A NATO official stated that member nations would continue to contribute to PURL, and some equipment is still being delivered to Ukraine.
Although no final decision has been made, this information reflects the growing challenges facing the US as the conflict enters its 4th week.
US forces and Middle Eastern allies continue to rely on expensive interceptor missiles to neutralize low-cost targets, particularly the suicide unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) Iran is deploying in the current conflict. Estimates suggest Iran can manufacture up to 10,000 Shahed-series UAVs monthly. The average cost of a Shahed UAV is 35,000 USD, whereas a Patriot PAC-3 missile costs 3-4 million USD per unit, depending on the contract.
Since the US and Israel launched an offensive against Iran on 28/2, European partners have expressed concern that Washington is depleting ammunition too quickly. This rapid depletion could delay existing orders and impact aid efforts to Kyiv via PURL.
In response, the US Department of Defense announced agreements on 25/3 with defense contractors Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, and Honeywell Aerospace. These agreements aim to accelerate the production of various missile components, including weapons designed to counter ballistic missiles. "These agreements will put the defense industrial base into wartime footing," the agency stated.
By Thanh Danh (According to The Washington Post, Reuters)
