The US gave sensitive plans for over 1,000 American weapons to Ukraine, say 2 officials who gave only a cryptic hint as to what they are: report
Two senior US officials told the Times that Washington sent plans for over 1,000 weapons to Ukraine.
The reported transfer came amid a push to help Ukraine boost its domestic weapons production.
The officials declined to say which weapons plans were included but gave a clue, per the Times.
The US has given Ukraine manufacturing plans for more than 1,000 American weapons in hopes of helping Kyiv bolster its own arms production, two officials told The New York Times.
The military officials told the Times' John Ismay about the transfer during a visit to a new factory for Howitzer artillery shells near Dallas.
According to the Times, these two officials were William A. LaPlante, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, and Douglas R. Bush, the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics, and technology.
They told the outlet that the US also translated technical manuals from English to Ukrainian but declined to say which weapons were involved, the Times said.
"What are they using the most?" Bush told Ismay.
Drones and artillery shells have been among the most prominently used weapons in the war, but neither official was reported to have given further information on the plans.
Their remarks came amid the opening of the $500 million Dallas plant, which is run by General Dynamics and aims to boost artillery-shell production by another 30,000 155 mm rounds a month.
The US has set a goal of producing 100,000 such shells a month by the end of 2025 after sending more than 3 million rounds together with its allies to Ukraine. Demand there for the ammo is pressing.
The US Army has said it would need about $3.1 billion to buy the rounds and expand production to achieve its ammunition goal. It's unlikely that all these new rounds will be earmarked solely for Ukraine.
Before the Dallas plant was set up, the Army News Service reported the US at the end of 2023 was making about 28,000 Howitzer shells a month. The Times reported that production this month rose to about 36,000 shells without the new factory.
Meanwhile, Russia is estimated to be producing about 250,000 shells a month, according to NATO assessments reported by CNN in March.
Western countries are concerned by the rate at which Moscow has been able to rapidly expand and galvanize its defense-manufacturing industry, with some think-tank estimates saying the Kremlin can sustain its high casualties in personnel and equipment for years.
Ukraine already needs more troops, and the US and Europe have been trying to shore up its military supplies.
The European Union promised in March 2023 to deliver 1 million more artillery shells to Kyiv over the next year. But with reports that it was manufacturing only about 30% of what's needed, some experts said Ukraine would eat up Europe's current entire annual production within two months. The bloc ended up meeting only 50% of its goal by this March.
Press teams for the US Army and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent outside regular business hours.
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