Pentagon Speeds Up Shipping of Air Defense Systems for Ukraine After Biden’s Promise 

  • Raytheon expedited production by using parts already on hand
  • NASAMS used by NATO nations, protects US capital region
National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile SystemPhotographer: Toms Kalnins/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
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The US is speeding up shipment of two advanced air defense systems to Ukraine amid stepped-up pleas by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for the West to supply more -- and more advanced -- weaponry in the fight against Russia.

Raytheon Technologies Corp. will accelerate assembly of the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System units by using existing parts instead of building the weapon from scratch, the Pentagon said in a statement. The US is also contracting for more parts under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.