The U.S. Department of Defense has announced the 74th installment of ground military equipment and aircraft weapons for Ukrainian fighter jets worth half a billion dollars.

The list of equipment and machinery is published on the Department’s website.

The military aid package aims to meet Ukraine’s critical needs and includes property from the U.S. Army’s stockpile, allocated under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) program.

The new installment, estimated at $500 million, includes air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles, air-to-ground weapons, and equipment to support the operation of Ukraine’s F-16 fighter jets.

The 74th tranche includes:

• AIM-7, RIM-7, AIM-9M missiles;
• air-to-ground ammunition;
• auxiliary equipment for the F-16;
• armored bridge pavers;
• secure communication equipment;
• small arms and ammunition;
• spare parts and auxiliary equipment.

In addition, the new package includes funding for training of Ukrainian specialists and military personnel, other services, and the transfer of equipment to Ukraine.

Nomenclature of weapons and equipment

Ukraine’s Buk-M1 anti-aircraft systems, modernized under the FrankenSAM program, have long used the AIM-7 aircraft missiles and their anti-aircraft modification RIM-7.

After the depletion of Soviet anti-aircraft missiles, this improvement allowed the existing air defense systems to continue operating.

At the same time, AIM-9M missiles can be used by both Ukrainian NASAMS anti-aircraft systems and F-16 fighters.

Militarnyi recently reported on the use of AIM-9 missiles by Ukrainian aviation to intercept Russian cruise missiles.

The general reference to air-to-ground munitions may mean both 230-kilogram Mark 82 aircraft bombs with JDAM-ER modules and 100-kilogram GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb. The Ukrainian Air Force actively uses both types of weapons.

It is also likely that Ukrainian engineering units will receive American M60A1 AVLB armored bridge pavers, which the United States has already transferred. They have already been seen in service with the 5th Tank Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.