US Mulls Hawk Air Defense Equipment For Ukraine After Putin's Drone And Missile Attacks

The Biden administration is reportedly considering sending HAWK air defense equipment to Ukraine for its fight against Russia. 

What Happened: The U.S. is mulling an older HAWK air defense system from storage for Kyiv to help defend its skies from Vladimir Putin’s drone and cruise missile attacks, reported Reuters.

See Also: Putin Forces 'Preparing To Work Under Radioactive Contamination' In Case Of Nuclear Attack

The report noted that the HAWK interceptor missiles would be an upgraded version of the Stinger missile systems — a smaller, shorter-range air defense system — that the U.S. has already given to Ukraine. It is based on Vietnam-era technology but has been upgraded often.

If agreed, the U.S. would use the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) to transfer the air defense equipment to Kyiv. The PDA gives power to the authorities to transfer defense articles from stocks quickly without the approval of Congress in response to an emergency.

Why It's Important: This could come after U.S. President Joe Biden, earlier this month, promised to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Washington would provide Ukraine with advanced air systems after a barrage of missiles attacked Kyiv.

The U.S. also plans to send the highly sought-after defense system NASAMS to Ukraine. Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said late last month, “We expect the first two to be delivered within the next two months or so."

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Spain also intends to send four HAWK launchers to the war-torn nation.

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