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 Verplichtingen militaire hulp VS infographic
Graphic shows military aid pledged to Ukraine by the U.S.
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Verplichtingen militaire hulp VS

By Phil Bainbridge

December 16, 2022 - Honouring its pledges to Ukraine is forcing the Pentagon to speed up weapons contracting, assembly and delivery to avoid the risk of its own stocks being depleted in the event of it being called into military action.

While Pentagon spending has been focused on the high-tech - stealth jets and hypersonic missiles - Ukraine’s defence requires artillery and armour-piercing weapons, for which production ceased years ago in some cases. The U.S. is now confronting the need to ramp up production so that its own stocks don’t fall below the level required to defend its own territory or one of the other potential theatres, for example in the Indo-Pacific.

There is a growing consensus that stockpiles need to be about 50% greater than pre-Ukraine, and using lessons learned from Operation Warp Speed, the government-wide effort to develop tests, therapies and vaccines to tackle Covid-19, the Pentagon has begun using a fast-track Undefinitized Contract Action (UCA) to authorise contractors and even take delivery before terms and prices are finalised.

The constant tension in the system means that while military planners want to replenish stockpiles as quickly as possible to mitigate military risk, contract officers have safeguards to protect taxpayer dollars from errors and abuses.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 16/12/2022; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Newscom, Sonaz
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