Pentagon delays supplying gun trucks to Ukraine 

Defense Express writes about this.  

In April 2023, the Pentagon pledged to deliver 19 vehicles to Ukraine as part of the USAI support initiative, aimed at countering the Shahed-136 drones. These vehicles were designed to feature 30 mm automatic guns, essentially serving as anti-aircraft gun trucks.

As of August 2023, however, the US Department of Defense has not yet finalized a contract for these anti-aircraft platforms, even though a production-ready prototype exists. This prototype includes a Northrop Grumman-made Bushmaster 30 mm automatic cannon and a guidance system. The Defense One portal reported on this delay.

“This situation underscores the viewpoint within the expert community that the United States must expedite its mechanisms for procuring and supplying weapons to support Ukraine. This is particularly paradoxical given the swift development and testing of anti-drone platforms by the Pentagon,” the article reads. 

When energy systems in Ukraine were targeted by Shahed drones in late 2022, the Pentagon urgently commissioned countermeasures within a 30-90 day timeframe. Swift competitions and successful tests followed, with an anti-aircraft pickup truck equipped with a Bushmaster cannon from Northrop Grumman, referred to as the M-ACE, undergoing tests from January 23 to February 4, 2023.

“The delay becomes more perplexing considering that only in April 2023 did the Pentagon express readiness to order these anti-drone vehicles for Ukraine. Over the next four months, however, the department failed to finalize a contract and allocate funds for production,” it is noted. 

In response, a Pentagon spokesperson stressed their ongoing efforts to expedite procurement procedures for Ukrainian support. To substantiate this, the spokesperson highlighted figures: $16.4 billion out of $18.6 billion allocated to the USAI program and $20.5 billion out of a projected $25.9 billion earmarked for arms supply to Ukraine from existing US Army stocks, starting in February 2022, have been utilized.

Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman's representative, Rob Minty, conveyed his corporation's frustration, with promises of a contract being postponed repeatedly. He indicated that resources have been set aside for immediate production of at least three anti-aircraft gun trucks as soon as the contract is finalized.

CSIS analysts weighed in, noting that between 2000 and early 2022, Pentagon spending on ammunition stayed below $25 billion annually. This points to progress in the US Department of Defense's efforts, particularly regarding support for Ukraine. However, analysts emphasized the need for the Pentagon to streamline bureaucratic processes involved in providing arms and assistance to the nation.