It is good to be back with you again. Last night at President Bidens direction u. S. Military forces conducted precision airstrikes in eastern syria. Our forces accomplished their mission of destroying several infrastructure facilities used by groups used by irans irgc to protect u. S. Personnel in syria, the targets of several recent attacks by several iranian backed militia groups including the most recent ones on august 15. Our response was proportionate and precise, designed to minimize the risk of casualties. It responded to the nature of the attacks by iran backed militia groups. That being said, we cannot accept further attacks on our personnel. This operation is a demonstration that the u. S. Will not hesitate to defend itself against iranian and iran backed aggression where it occurs. Now, nazmi turned to the focus of todays briefing. Let me join President Biden and secretary austen in underscoring our continued support for the people of ukraine as we mark their 31st year of independence. We are now six months into russias brutal, premeditated invasion of ukraine. It is an act of aggression into undermine independence. Russias efforts have not succeeded and will not succeed. As we have made clear at every level of the administration we are committed to sustained a Security Assistance as ukraine defends its sovereignty and territorial ukraine integrity. Alongside allies and partners we will stick with ukraine over the long haul. In light of the enduring commitment the department of defense decided to provide an additional 2. 98 billion in Security Assistance to ukraine under the ukraine Security Assistance initiative. This is the largest single Security Assistance package we have ever provided to support ukraine. In previous briefings we discussed various president ial Drawdown Authority practices packages or pda practices. Usai is different because we will be procuring the systems from the private sector rather than pulling them out of our own stocks like we do with pda. This usai package underscores our commitment to supporting ukraine long term, representing multiyear investment in critical defense capabilities. The package is about building enduring strength for ukraine as a defense of sovereignty in the face of russian aggression. Vladimir putin seems to believe russia can win the long game, outlasting the ukrainians and the International Communitys will to support ukraine. This usai package is a tangible demonstration this is another russian miscalculation. The capabilities are tailored to sustain ukrainian capability needs in the near to longterm and include six Additional National advanced a Missile Systems with additional munitions for those. Up to 245 thousand rounds of 155 millimeter artillery ammunition, the ammunition used for the nato standard artillery systems that have been transferred to ukraine. Up to 65,000 rounds of 120 millimeter mortar ammunition. Up to 24 counter artillery radars. We are also including in this package, Unmanned Aerial Systems and scanned ego uis systems. We are including vampire counter Unmanned Aerial Systems, laserguided rocket systems, and a substantial funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment so ukraine can keep the equipment they already have and the funding. Delivery of this package will begin in the next several months and continue over the coming years. While many of these kid abilities are not intended to directly contribute to todays fight, they will form the backbone of a robust future ukrainian fourth capable of defending ukraine from years to come. Stepping back for a moment, the u. S. Has committed more than 13. 5 billion in Security Assistance to ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration including 12. 9 billion dollars in the last six months. This level of u. S. Security assistance is historically unprecedented and demonstrates unwavering support for a free and democratic ukraine audit independence on its Independence Day. This may be our largest Security Package today but will not be our last. We will closely consult with ukraine on its near, mid, and longterm capability needs. We are far from alone in this effort. As i noted in my last briefing earlier this month at least 50 countries have provided billions of dollars of additional Security Assistance to ukraine since russia invaded in february. These allies and partners have participated in the monthly ukraine defends Contact Group meetings hosted by secretary austin. Our continued unified effort will help ukraine continue to be successful today and build enduring strength to ensure the ukrainian people are able to commemorate many more dependent states for years to come. With many more Independence Day days for years to come. One specific question, then, a broader question. The vampires. Can you give us a sense of how far down the road that is . More detail on what they are and how far down the road that is. I think that is a fairly new system. More broadly, can you tell us how much of the package would go to training . Will the u. S. Expanded training . Give us a picture of u. S. Training for ukraine down the road into the future. So, the vampire system itself is a counter uis system, its a kinetic system that uses small missiles to shoot small uaes out of the sky. We continue to train Ukrainian Forces on all the systems we are providing and our allies and partners are providing that they have not already been trained on. Having made a transition from soviet legacy equipment to nato Standard Equipment has required more training on a rolling basis. Now, as it relates to systems in this package, really, we are talking about systems that will take months to get on contract. 1, 2, three years in some instances to arrive in ukraine. We are confident we have the time to train the ukrainians on whatever systems they are not already familiar with. How much of the package is on training . D sustainment package, sorry. The piece about sustainment, i will get you the exact numbers on that after. Sustainment is really about spare parts. How does that work with the training . I dont have a number but i can get you that. Im with air force magazine, thank you so much. Can you tell us why still no aircraft or Pilot Training if you are thinking medium to longterm . Also, why not include some systems like Army TacticalMissile Systems with ranges beyond 80 kilometers. Since russia is now moving their logistics and command control beyond the range of the current conditions. Thanks. As it relates to aircraft, our current priority is making sure ukrainians can use the aircraft we currently have to generate effect in the current conflict. The last time we had a briefing here we broke news talking about the fact we had provided them some of these antiradiation missiles. We had adapted those missiles to be able to fire off may 29. They were designed to fly off our aircraft. Ukrainians in recent weeks of been using these missiles to great effect or to take out russian radar systems. So, as it relates to future aircraft, fourth generation aircraft, for example, even if we provided those now, they would not arrive for years. So, we are focused on what they need to support the current efforts to hold in the east and perhaps go on the counteroffensive. As it relates to the future of aircraft let me tell you where we are in the process. Secretary austin has at the office of the secretary of defense to work for the joint staff and office of european command it to work on a future forces picture of the ukrainian force for the mid to longterm term. Obviously, this has been a is done with close consultation with the ukrainians. It is, after all, their military and we are trying to be disciplined and deliberate about what kind of ukrainian force matters in the next 12, 24, 36 months. Under any range of scenarios. It could be a scenario under which the war continues. It could be a scenario where the violence ebbs because there is an agreement or because it just dies down a bit. But, even in that instance, ukrainians will need to defend their territory and deter future aggression. We are trying to be very deliberate about what systems we think makes the most sense for ukraine to have in that context. It also matters very much, can they sustain it . Can they afford it . Billions of dollars of International Assistance may not be something years from now or 20 years from now, these have to be Systems Ukraine itself can sustain. Fighter aircraft remain on the table there is no final decisions made about that. As it relates to attack. I think as much of your tracking, we have providing 16 high bar systems which are precision rockets, multiple launch rocket systems. A number of allies have provided similar systems. The brits and the germans have provided m270 systems. We have provided them guided multiple launch rocket systems with a range of around 70 or 80 kilometers. We have provided them with hundreds and hundreds of these precision guided systems. Ukrainians have been using the m to extraordinary effect on the battlefield. The most relevant munitions are these. We have prioritized getting the ukrainians the guided multiple launch rocket systems to hold in the east and generate momentum elsewhere in the country. They dont currently require attack comes. We will have conversations with the ukrainians about their needs. But it is our adjustments evaluation of the moment we should be focused on guided multiple launch rocket systems. You mentioned laser rocket systems. Can you say how many and how long they are supposed to last . How long will it take for them to receive them . And for how long . Yeah. So, you are asking about the rocket systems in particular, correct . Let me make sure i have all the information for you. The laserguided rocket systems provided in this round of funding will basically complement the systems that the ukrainians already have been provided in previous Security Assistance packages. These specific rocket systems have a range of about eight kilometers and can be used basically to target personnel carriers and unmanned systems. In terms of delivery some of the systems and rounds will probably be provided in the next nine months and additional systems could take a year or two. There are no guided multiple launch rocket systems there . Know because we have been focused on providing them through the pda package. About every pda package we have provided a steady stream of gmlrs, hundreds at a time. The ukrainian stocks are good now and we will continue to provide those. Pda is something we can draw on to make it not immediately available but usually in days or weeks where usii is typically months or years. Lets go to the phone lines. Dr. , can you give us a little more clarity on the timeline. There have been some delays in the past with contracting equipment for delivery to ukraine. Can you be more specific on the timeline . Thank you. Is there a particular system you are interested in . The timelines are all different. Let me rephrase. Has the pentagon experienced any difficulty in contracting in the past for these kind of weapons and if so, has that been factored in to the timeline . The short answer is we are eager to get the ukrainian systems as quickly as the process will allow. It takes sometimes months to get these systems on contract. That has been the case. In each case we will endeavor to get the contracts filled out as quickly as possible and get stuff on the road. But we have to manage expectations. The package of capabilities here is really aimed at getting ukrainians what they will need in the medium to longterm. Its not relevant to the fight today, tomorrow, next week. It is relevant to the ability of ukraine to defend itself and to deter further aggression a year from now, two years from now. This is extraordinarily important because at least as we can discern. Vladimir putin has not given up on his overall strategic objective of seizing most of ukraine, toppling the regime, reclaiming ukraine as part of a new russian empire. What he has done is lengthen his timeline in recognition that he is out planned. As a consequence, his theory of victory as he can wake everybody out. He can wait the ukrainians out because they will be exhausted. He can wait us out because we will turn our attention elsewhere. He can wait the europeans not because of High Energy Prices or whatever. So, packages like this are extraordinarily important in directly challenging putins theory that we are not in it for the long haul, that we are not supporting ukraine for the long haul. The other value in using usai money is when we take things out of our own stocks, we are taking things out of our own stocks and output certain constraints on what can we put out on what timeline. When we use usai we are buying things on contract and the private sector can produce these things. We will go to tara than anthony. Thank you. Does the board of assessment know there is an announcement of multiyear the u. S. Will continue to provide arms in the long term . Is this the biggest Acuity Systems package provided in any conflict individually . I realize this might take some time to put in context. It is historically unusual. Whether it is unprecedented in its sheer size we will have to get back to you. It may not be an apples to apples comparison in terms of types of things. Usai is not limited to Foreign Military funding, for example. So we will get back to you on whether it is the biggest of all time. It is the sheer amount that is historically unprecedented as far as we can tell. We are now north of 13 billion with this. 12. 9 billion just since the invasion kicked off in february. In terms of, essentially, does this package represent some assessment about the endgame, the shortest answer is, no. Obviously, its important for us that ukraine survives and endures as a democratic, independent, sovereign country with territorial integrity. Its important to us that russia pays the cost in excess of benefits so they dont do it again and other aggressors take that lesson. It is important to us that Vladimir Putins objective of weakening the west and fracturing nato is turned on its head and nato emerges stronger and the free world emerges stronger. I think we are on track to achieve all three of those objectives. Sovereignty for ukraine, that endures, pressure that has more cost then benefits, and a west that is stronger than when this started. This type of package does not presume any particular outcome of the conflict. If the war continues, for years, the package is relevant. If there is a ceasefire or a peace settlement, the package is still relevant because ukraine will need the ability to defend itself and deter future aggression. Under any scenario, or all the ones in between, we think the package is relevant. We will go to nancys and the phone lines. Earlier you talked about reports of additional u. S. Strikes in syria. Can you give us any Additional Information about that . You also had questions about training. How much of this was dedicated to training. You said you could not give us a number. Can you give us a sense of how many people will be trained and over what time frame . You talked about an investment in ukraines military medium to longterm, i think three years. Is it your assessment is that in those three years ukraine will be fully integrated into the nato weapons system . Do you anticipate they will no longer need soviet Weapons Systems . Can you give a picture of what you envision the Ukrainian Military looking like at the end of this . On the syria strikes we are tracking the same reports you are that there have been has been an exchange in syria. I dont have details to provide you. When we have more, we will give you more. As a general matter we will not hesitate to defend ourselves and we have communicated this. Both in the actions we took last night, the nature of those actions, and also, what we have communicated to the iranians. We will not tolerate attacks by iran back forces on our forces anywhere in the world including in syria and we will not pay to protect ourselves and take additional measures as appropriate. In this particular case, our response was, i think, extraordinarily carefully calibrated. It was meant to be proportional to the attacks that the iran backed groups carried out august 15. It was very precise. We essentially scoped out 11 bunker targets on this site. We ended up prosecuting nine of them. Shortly before the strike there was new evidence that there might be individuals near two of the other bunkers, so we held off striking those out of an abundance of caution because our goal was not to produce casualties in this instance. But we will continue to respond if our people are attacked. As it relates to the initial report, we will tell you more when we know more. As it relates to the training numbers, i dont have specific numbers in front of me. Nancy will get back to you with whatever details you need for your story on that. At three years, will the ukrainians be done transitioning to nato Standard Equipment . My sense is they will still have some aspects. For example they have hundreds and hundreds of 152 metta meter millimeter artillery systems and considerable industrial capacity. It is conceivable that years from now they could still be using those systems produced using munitions they themselves produced. I would anticipate in the timeframe we are talking about here that ukraine will gradually transition to nato Standard Equipment. You are already seeing that in the tradition to the interval seven howitzers and other systems like the french sees our systems. Some of the uis systems. Something that will be important as we think through this alongside ukraine in the coming