This week, the White House released the details of its latest $300 million defense aid package for Ukraine, which will be pulled from already existing, although dwindling, Pentagon stockpiles. This package includes the Hydra-70 rocket for the first time. The rockets are unguided missiles that are usually air-to-ground and fired from an aircraft.
Also authorized for this package were more artillery rounds and projectiles for HIMARS rocket systems as well as additional Howitzers.
Hydra-70 rockets are described by defense manufacturer General Dynamics which produces them as “a lethal and lightweight weapon system with multi-mission capability.”
General Dynamics also refers to the Hydra-70 rockets as a “tailor-made solution” as they can use 9 different warheads. The unguided missiles are also an affordable option for zeroing in on “lower-value targets on the battlefield,” according to the manufacturer.
They can be fired from Apache helicopters and F-16 fighter jets. The rockets are also the world’s most commonly used helicopter-launched weapon system.
While Ukraine has continued to request F-16s from the U.S., Washington has continued to hold out on providing them, which indicates that the Hydra-70 rockets will most likely be launched from helicopters in Ukraine.
Below is a full list of the weapons in the most recent package:
Meanwhile, Ukraine has become bolder with its use of drone strikes to target Russian infrastructure with several attacks over the past 24 hours not only taking out several oil refineries for logistical purposes, but also an attack on the Kremlin, which Russian officials have claimed was an assassination attempt against President Putin.
