How Fast Can the US Get New Weapons and Ammo to Ukraine?

The US is back in the fight — logistically speaking.

A crew chief from the 437th Airlift Wing conducts pre-flight checks on a C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, Feb. 4, 2022. C-17s departed JB Charleston en route to Ukraine, as part of broader efforts to demonstrate our commitment to NATO allies. (US Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dawn M. Weber) Public domain

As the self-imposed Congressional roadblock seems to be lifting, several readers have asked me how fast the Pentagon could get new weapons and ammo to Ukraine.

After all, time is of the essence. I expect Russian attacks to increase in the time between when President Biden signs the funding bill into law and when Ukraine gets a resupply.

So, the sooner we can get ammo into the hands of Ukrainian soldiers, the better for Ukraine — and Europe.

When an aid package for Ukraine is announced, the weapons are either provided through presidential drawdown authority (PDA), which allows the military to immediately pull from its stockpiles, or through security assistance, which pays for longer-term contracts with the defense industry to obtain the systems.

The longer-term contracts are important, but funnel procurement through the Pentagon’s bloated and labyrinthine system of administration, especially in weapons acquisition.

Seriously, the current system of weapons procurement for government officials comes with its own “university” at Fort Belvoir, Virginia as well as a 5,000-page “how-to” manual for military purchasing.