US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during a hearing at the Senate Finance Committee implicitly confirmed the suspension of the transfer of anti-UAV missiles to Ukraine.
In response to lawmakers' questions about whether the Pentagon is routering missile shipments to the Middle East, Mr. Hegseth stressed that the region is currently a top priority for the United States.
The Middle East is a rapidly changing battlefield. For the benefit of the country and the people, we will prioritize strengthening UAV anti-UAV systems for US forces and bases if any threat is detected," he said. However, he did not specifically mention which weapons were transferred.
US media previously reported that the Pentagon has stopped supplying Ukraine with special launchers of APKWS guided missiles, a type of weapon designed to effectively deal with UAVs. This step is to ensure equipment for US forces in the Middle East.
President Volodymyr Zelensky later confirmed that Ukraine had not received any shells in the plan to provide 20,000 APKWS missiles approved under former President Joe Biden.
APKWS (Advanced Precision Shooting System) is an improvement of the Hydra 70 missile into a low-cost, high-efficiency laser guided missile. Each APKWS missile costs about 35,000 USD, which is only a fraction of traditional anti-aircraft missiles. The US Air Force has previously proposed using the system to intercept UAVs and cruise missiles in situations of massive airstrikes.
For many years, the US has provided APKWS and the Vampire air defense complex to Kiev. These complexes are considered a key weapon in Ukraine's efforts to combat long-range suicide UAVs deployed by Russia. With depleted air defense ammunition and increased intensity of attacks from Russia, Vampire complexes are playing an increasingly important role for Ukraine.
The move to prioritize aid shows that Washington is facing pressure on defense equipment supplies, especially in the context of the risk of US forces in the Middle East conflicting with Iran or re-combating with the Houthi armed group in Yemen, observers say.
