U.S. Transportation Command reported on Jan. 30 that they are delivering the first shipment of Bradley Fighting Vehicles to Ukraine as part of the United States $2.85 billion military aid agreement announced earlier this year.
The shipment — containing more than 60 Bradleys — left the city of North Charleston, South Carolina, last week, and will provide the Ukrainian forces with additional offensive and defensive capabilities.
"The Bradley is a very powerful vehicle that we are providing to the Ukrainians,” Army Lt. Col. Rebecca D’Angelo, 841st Transportation Battalion commander, was quoted as saying. “This is going to hopefully enhance their capabilities to provide forward advancement in the battlefield and regain lost grounds, by having equipment that matches or exceeds what the Russians have.”
Ukraine should receive a total of 109 Bradleys, which are highly-mobile tracked vehicles for transporting and providing covering fire to infantry. They are armed with a 25mm autocannon and TOW anti-tank missiles.
Along with the 60 Bradleys, the Biden Administration has announced an additional $2.5 billion in security assistance, comprising more fighting vehicles, ammunition, missiles, and Stryker armored personnel carriers. This brings the total U.S. contribution to the effort to $27.1 billion since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.