Ukraine requests United States to send Avenger air defense system - media

Whether the US satisfies the request is still up in the air, Foreign Policy reports.

Ukraine is also pushing the United States to send artillery-launched mines and short-range air defenses that can intercept Iranian-made drones, according to three congressional aides and two Ukrainian officials familiar with the matter.

Ukrainian officials have been pushing for so-called dual-purpose improved conventional munitions, or DPICMs, — a form of cluster munitions that are designed to burst into scores of smaller submunitions to destroy mobile targets such as tanks or unsuspecting troops. The United States is currently barred from exporting these systems. Ukrainian officials are keen to acquire the explosive weapons to reduce wear and tear to NATO-standard artillery cannons.

Ukraine is also pushing for the United States to send the Avenger air defense systems. However, limited US availability of counter-mortar systems could be hampering the Biden administration from sending Avenger systems to Ukraine, according to the Foreign Policy’s data.

The Avenger Air Defense System is an American self-propelled surface-to-air missile system which provides mobile, short-range air defense protection. The system is mounted atop a 4×4 Heavy High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). It provides protection against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, low-flying fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters. The system is equipped with forward-looking infrared (FLIR) cameras for greater accuracy. 

• On October 27, the United States accused Russia of trying to intimidate the UN and , together with Iran, avoid responsibility for violating Security Council Resolution 2231 by using Iranian drones to strike civilian targets in Ukraine.

• On the night of October 27, Russia launched more than 20 drones at Ukraine; 19 drones were shot down by the Ukrainian defenders.