In Another Sign of Impending Black Sea Action, US Sends 18 Patrol Boats To Ukraine

In its latest aid package to Ukraine, the US is reportedly including 18 naval patrol boats. 

This suggests that, in addition to the provision of Harpoon anti-ship missiles, attacks on Russian installations at Snake Island and the recent sinking of another Russian ship, NATO is moving closer to approving a military end to Russia's Black Sea blockade. JL 

Heather Mongilio reports in USNI News:

The United States will send 18 patrol boats to Ukraine as part of continued aid to the country. The U.S. Navy recently decommissioned its fleet of Mark VI patrol boats and Ukraine had been previously approved to buy up to 16 of the highspeed patrol vessels. The U.S. has also pledged to send vehicle-mounted Harpoon launchers to Ukraine to help its protect against the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet.

The United States will send 18 patrol boats to Ukraine as part of continued aid to the country as the Russian invasion stretches into the 119th day.

The Department of Defense, using supplies already available, will send 18 coastal and riverine patrol boats, it announced Thursday. The DoD will also send high mobility artillery rocket systems, ammunition, grenade launchers, machine guns and tactical vehicles as part of the $450 million package

It is not clear what type of patrol boats will be sent to Ukraine. The U.S. Navy recently decommissioned its fleet of Mark VI patrol boats and Ukraine had been previously approved to buy up to 16 of the highspeed patrol vessels. The Ukrainian Navy was expected to received up to three Mark VIs this year, according to local press reports.

The U.S. has also pledged to send vehicle-mounted Harpoon launchers to Ukraine to help its protect against the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet. The Harpoon missiles will come from partners and allies, USNI News previously reported.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin previously told reporters Denmark is sending Harpoons to Ukraine, USNI News reported.

The Department of Defense declined to answer questions about the Russian Black Sea fleet, including the number of ships and ship locations.

USNI News contributor H.I. Sutton tweeted Thursday that there were five Russian warships spotted off of Sevastapol. Sutton identified the ships as a Bora-class missile corvette, a Ropucha-class landing ships, two Buyan-M class missile corvettes and a Bykov-class patrol ship.

He also tweeted that there were two ships seen around Snake Island, near where Russian ship Moskva was hit, although it was not clear if they were Russian.

The U.S. has so far pledged approximately $6.8 billion in assistance to Ukraine, according to the DoD release.