The US Department of Defense is considering 1,300 proposals from 800 companies for new innovative weapons.

The US Department of Defense is currently reviewing 1,300 proposals from 800 companies for innovative new weapons and commercial capabilities that they could design and manufacture for Ukraine to use against Russia’s invasion.

The Pentagon is expected to make a decision in the coming weeks on what ideas it will pursue, which could eventually lead to production for Ukraine as well as for the US military, according to CNN .play video

The proposals requested by the ministry are centered around key areas, including air defense, anti-tank, anti-personnel, coastal, anti-tank, unmanned aerial systems, counter-battery and secure communications, which have been identified by Ukraine as a key military need. 

They were requested as part of a broad initiative by the Department of Defense to “complete Ukraine’s priority requests for security assistance,” according to an initial request for ideas by directed industry. The goal is to get ideas and information to speed up production and build more capacity on the industrial base, as it is now adopted by the US and its allies, Ukraine will likely have to support it long after its own existing stockpiles of weapons run out.    

This comes as the Pentagon continues to deliver multiple billions of dollars worth of weapons. On Thursday, President Joe Biden said the US would soon announce $800 million in new aid, including air defense systems and offensive weapons. So far, the US has provided $6.1 billion in security assistance to Ukraine following Russia’s February 24 invasion. The US is working with over 50 other countries to find out what weapons they have to offer. 

Russian weapons were preferred because Ukrainian forces are familiar with these systems and do not need training. But as the war went on, more modern weapons were provided and Ukrainian forces were trained in neighboring countries. 

The department’s plan for potential new manufacturing contracts reflects some urgency as it seeks potential deliveries ranging from less than 30 to more than 180 days. He also asks companies to detail what type of air, land or sea platform their weapons can be deployed to and whether they already have something in production.

“In particular, the Department is exploring options that would accelerate production and increase additional capacity at the industrial base for weapons and equipment that can be quickly exported, deployed with minimal training, and that have proven their effectiveness on the battlefield,” the Department of Defense said in a statement. . 

The Pentagon has created a detailed bureaucratic structure to assess Ukraine’s needs and is trying to expedite their delivery. A new “senior integration group” of senior officials is analyzing Ukraine’s latest operational needs.

Funding could potentially come from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is a nearly $1 billion bank to secure arms contracts for Ukraine. Nearly $240 million worth of contracts have been awarded in areas ranging from Switchblade drones to secure communications devices. 

Recall, Pentagon Speaker John Kirby said that the United States does not see the possibility of ending the  war in Ukraine  before the end of the year. He indicated that Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to continue the attack.

(C)UNIAN 2022