L3Harris’ VAMPIRE, or Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment. (Credit: L3Harris)
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
WASHINGTON DC – The U.S. Biden administration is sending an additional $3 billion in military assistance for Ukraine security. President Biden announced the aid at the White House last week, which is Washington’s largest security package for Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began six months ago. An interesting new item in the Pentagon security package is a counter-drone capability system called “Vampire”. The newly-announced Vampire counter-drone system will be purchased with Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funding. Since January 2021, the United States has committed more than $13.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine.
“We’re including Vampire counter-unmanned aerial systems, laser-guided rocket systems, and a substantial funding package for training, maintenance, and sustainment, so that Ukraine can keep the equipment they already have in the fight,”
-Dr. Colin Kahl, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy said at Aug. 24, 2022 Pentagon press breifing.
According to Defense Daily, L3Harris [LHX] has confirmed it makes the “VAMPIRE” counter-drone system included in the U.S.’ new $3 billion Ukraine security aid package. L3Harris’ Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment (VAMPIRE) is a portable kit that can be installed on most vehicles with a cargo bed for launching of the advanced precision kill weapons system (APKWS) or other laser-guided munitions, according to L3Harris’ website. The Vampire is a kinetic system that uses small missiles, essentially, to shoot UAVs out of the sky, Dr. Kahl explained.
L3Harris’ VAMPIRE, or Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment. (Credit: L3Harris)
The $3 Billion aid is the biggest tranche of security assistance for Ukraine to date. Capabilities include:
- Six additional National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) with additional munitions for NASAMS
- Up to 245,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition
- Up to 65,000 rounds of 120mm mortar ammunition
- Up to 24 counter-artillery radars
- Puma Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and support equipment for Scan Eagle UAS systems
- VAMPIRE Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems
- Laser-guided rocket systems
- Funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment
Pentagon-Ukraine Security Assistance is “Historically Unprecedented”
“I think the sheer amount of security assistance we’ve provided through a combination of PDA and USAI is historically unprecedented, as far as we can tell, because we’re now north of $13 billion with this and, you know, $12.9 billion, just since the invasion kicked off on February 24. Obviously, it’s important for us that Ukraine survives and endures as a democratic, independent, sovereign country with its territorial integrity intact. It’s important to us that Russia pays a cost in excess of the benefits they gain from (an) aggression so that they don’t do it again, and so that other aggressors take that lesson. It’s also important to us that Vladimir Putin’s objective of weakening the West and fragmenting NATO actually is turned on its head—that NATO emerges stronger, the free world emerges stronger”
-Dr. Colin Kahl, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy
