Washington, Aug 29 (Representative) The US Defense Department has been expanding the shipment of weapons to Ukraine by sea, The Washington Post reports citing US defense officials. Ships are able to transport large quantities of cargo, despite being slower than aircraft, which could allow Kiev to build up a bigger weapons arsenal, the newspaper said on Saturday. The Pentagon started sending weapons to Ukraine by sea “a few weeks” after Russia started its special military operation at the end of February, but maritime shipping has been broadened significantly this spring, US defense officials told The Washington Post. Howitzer artillery and other heavy weapons that the US now sends to Ukraine are easier transported by sea. US military officials declined to detail specific maritime routes used to get weapons to Ukraine, but did say that some of the arms are brought directly to the battlefield, while others are used to replenish US stocks in Europe.
Earlier this week, the United States announced a new $2.98 billion package of military aid for Ukraine, which includes six additional National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which finances the US defense industry to boost production of certain weapons. Most of the previous security packages for Ukraine were presidential drawdown packages that sent weapons and equipment from the US national defense stockpile. However, the United States does not have NASAMS in stock that are immediately available for Ukraine. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl said deliveries of military equipment in the $2.98 billion package will begin in the next several months and continue into the coming years.