US Is Quietly Sending Israel More Ammunition, Missiles
Supplying shells for Apache gunships, bunker-buster munitions
Arms arrive on a ‘near-daily basis,’ Defense Department says
️ The Pentagon has quietly ramped up military aid to Israel, delivering on requests that include more laser-guided missiles for its Apache gunship fleet, as well as 155mm shells, night-vision devices, bunker-buster munitions and new army vehicles, according to an internal Defense Department list. The weapons pipeline to Israel is extending beyond the well-publicized provision of Iron Dome interceptors and Boeing Co. smart bombs.
️ The arms are already being shipped or the Defense Department is working to make them available from stockpiles in the US and Europe, according to the document reviewed by Bloomberg News. As of late October, for example, all 36,000 rounds of 30mm cannon ammunition, 1,800 of the requested M141 bunker-buster munitions and at least 3,500 night-vision devices were delivered, the tally shows.
️ Israel has also requested more than 57,000 155mm High Explosive artillery shells and 20,000 M4A1 rifles, as many as 5,000 PVS-14 night vision devices, 3,000 M141 hand-held bunker-buster munitions that US Central Command is supplying, 400 120mm mortars and 75 of the Army and Marine Corps’ new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, which is replacing the Hummer. According to the tally, the US has also donated its inventory of 312 Tamir missile interceptors. The Army’s two Iron Dome batteries are traveling to Israel by sealift.
️ The weapons shipments include a reverse trip for 155mm shells. The 57,000 had been sent from US stocks in Israel to US European Command locations to restock munitions that were sent to Ukraine for its fight against Russia’s invasion. Now the restocked munitions are being sent back to Israel for its use in the conflict with Hamas, according to a congressional aide and US officials.
️ Israel has also requested 200 armor-piercing Switchblade 600 dive-bombing drones made by AeroVironment Inc. Ukraine has bought the drones directly from the company. The US Army doesn’t have any Switchblade 600s in its inventory. It’s unclear whether AeroVironment has the drones in stock or would need to build them. An AeroVironment spokesperson declined to comment.