The U.S. State Department approved possible sale of Javelin anti-tank missiles and launch units to Ukraine at the cost of $47 million, the Pentagon said on Thursday. This was reported by Radio Liberty.
"The Javelin system will help Ukraine build its long-term defence capacity to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity in order to meet its national defense requirements", - the statement says.
The proposed sale of this equipment will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
Ukraine’s government has asked to buy 210 Javelin missiles and 37 Javelin Command Launch Units, the statement said. Also included are Basic Skill Trainers (BST); United States Government and contractor technical assistance, transportation, training and other related elements of logistics and program support.
The U.S. defence budget for the 2018 financial year presupposes to provide $350 million for Ukraine as defence assistance, including the possibility of transferring lethal weapons.
Javelin is an American man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank missile, which is capable of defeating modern tanks by attacking them from above, and is also useful against fortifications in a direct attack flight. The missile also has the ability to engage helicopters in the direct attack mode. The cost of one complex, equipped with 6 rockets, is more than $1 million.