On October 14, the American website Politico announced that the US administration had received another list of weapons for which Ukraine was to ask the United States of America.
Due to the losses suffered during the war with the Russian Federation and the expansion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the course of mobilization, Kyiv had previously sent “wish letters” to both Washington and Western European countries in general. The latest list includes a request for: 300 MBTs, 1000 IFVs, 30 MLRS, 250 155 mm guns, 500 ATGMs, 1000 MANPADS, 72 short-range anti-aircraft systems (probably not so much complete systems as such, and with launchers to which command vehicles, radar stations, etc. must be provided), 20 AN / TPQ-36 and AN / TPQ-37 artillery radars and 40 AN / TPQ-49 light artillery radars. According to Politico, the U.S. authorities responsible for transferring arms to Ukraine have not commented on the list.
The Ukrainian needs concern huge amounts of armaments and equipment, and it is necessary to add spare parts, ammunition, training the service staff, technical staff, etc. It would be a huge undertaking. It seems that the demands related to artillery weapons and artillery radars have the greatest chances of implementation. The United States has already provided Ukraine with a lot of artillery radars, M142 HIMARS and 105 and 155 mm howitzers with ammunition and Ukrainian soldiers are trained in their use. The same applies to the ATGM – Ukrainians use, among others, on a large scale FGM-148 Javelin, which they already had before the war, and also BGM-71 TOW. The supply of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles is a question mark – despite media leaks and vague announcements, neither the United States, nor any other NATO country has agreed to provide Ukraine with Western-made tanks or IFVs (such as the American Abrams and Bradleys). The Germans chose a replacement method in the form of the “Ringtausch” mechanism, under which, for example, the Czech Republic and Slovakia are to get used Leopardy 2 (and Slovenia Fuchs) in place of the T-72 they sent, and for the BMP-1A1 Ost, Greece will receive Marders (and only in this case a 1: 1 exchange will take place). It is difficult to say when (and if at all) we will see Leopard 2 and Marders or Abrams and Bradleys in Ukraine, but on the other hand, the possibilities of supplying armored vehicles of the Soviet origin are running out, because the resources of Western countries formerly belonging to the Warsaw Pact are not endless.