U.S. Navy Secretary Suggests Branch May Face Challenges Arming Itself And Ukraine Within Six Months Amid Weapons-Production Shortage: Report

U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro Suggestions At the 2023 Surface Navy Association National Symposium, Arlington, Virginia, Wednesday, reporters were told that the military could face a “serious threat” “challenging” In the next six months, Ukraine will make a decision on whether to continue arming itself or assist Ukraine during a shortage in weapon production.

Del Toro’s remarks came after reporters asked him for a response to comments made at the conference by Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, who said that the Navy may be faced with a decision halfway through the year regarding whether it needs to arm itself or arm Ukraine.

“With regards to deliveries of weapons systems for the fight in Ukraine … yeah, that’s always a concern for us,” Del Toro said. “And we monitor that very, very closely.”

Del Toro later said on Twitter that he doesn’t believe the U.S. has reached that point yet, “but if the conflict does go on for another six months, for another year, it certainly continues to stress the supply chain in ways that are challenging.”

Del Toro was among dozens military members, defense industry representatives, and members Congress at the conference which took place from January 10-12. It focused on national security and defense. Newsweek reported.

Officials from the Pentagon report that Ukraine has received more than $24.2 million in US security assistance funding since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Officials stated that such aid had been used to fund ammunition, vehicles and aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicle, radar systems, small arms, artillery and air defense systems, antiaircraft and anti-armor system.

Defense One reported Most of the U.S. weapons that were sent to Ukraine came out of Army stockpiles. U.S. officials stated that they would start sending RIM-7 Sea Sparrow antiair missiles to Ukraine as part a $2.85bn presidential drawdown Announced Last week.

“The DOD and particularly [United States Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks] has been working very, very closely with industry, to motivate them to find out what their challenges or obstacles are, to be able to increase their own production rates,” Del Toro said.

Hicks was noted by the secretary as having worked with other officials who had made progress.

“It’s obvious that these companies have a substantial pipeline for the future,” Del Toro wrote. “They now need to invest in their people, again, their workforce, as well as the capital investments that they have to make within their own companies to get their production rates up.”

“So when that occurs, we’ll be in a better place,” He added. “How long that takes varies often weapon system to weapon system.”

(1/5) To clarify any earlier comments made by the Secretary

“If the conflict does go on for another six months to another year, it certainly continues to stress the supply chain in ways that are challenging.

— Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro (@SECNAV) January 11, 2023

During the conference, Adam. Caudle blamed weapons production delays on supply chain issues and labor shortages over the last three years caused by the pandemic, Defense One reported.

However, Caudle still accused weapon makers of using the pandemic as an excuse for missing deadlines to deliver more weapons.

“All this stuff about COVID this, parts, supply chain this, I just don’t really care,” Caudle said. “We’ve all got tough jobs.”

“We’re talking about war fighting and nation security and going against a competitor here and a potential adversary that is like nothing we’ve ever seen and we keep dilly dallying around with these deliveries,” the admiral added. “I don’t see good accountability and I don’t get to see good return on investment from the government [side], I really don’t.”

Pentagon officials said Yesterday, 100 Ukrainian soldiers were to begin training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma for the Patriot Air Defense System. This was amid ongoing Russian air attacks.

Officials stated that the Patriot system would be delivered overseas after training with Ukrainian soldiers for several months.