Politico: U.S. likely to send missiles for Ukraine's F-16s as part of new aid package

The United States is considering sending Ukraine a medium-range missile for its new F-16 fleet as part of a $375 million military aid package expected to be announced on Monday, September 23.

That is according to Politico, Ukrinform reports.

The Joint Standoff Weapon, already used by the U.S. Air Force and Navy and a number of allies, can hit targets over 70 miles (100 kilometers) away, giving Ukraine a major upgrade to the weapons it’s using to strike Russian forces and allowing them to do it at safer distances.

The package, which is still being finalized according to two U.S. officials and a person familiar with the issue, will also include artillery munitions, rockets and air defense missiles.

Politico notes that the people were granted anonymity to discuss the package ahead of the announcement and acknowledged that the contents could still change before the official announcement is made.

The new missiles, while not having the reach that Kyiv has been asking for, will still give Ukrainian pilots a powerful new weapon as their forces battle advancing Russian troops in the country’s east, where Ukrainian troops have been slowly losing ground.

"The 70-plus-mile range would allow pilots to stay away from the front lines and Russian air defenses, giving Kyiv a new way to target those defenses and frontline weapons depots, complicating operations for Russian forces," Politico wrote.