U.S. Approves $41.5 Million Precision Rifle Sale to Ukraine

Along with the recent defense deal that the United States is in with Ukraine over Javelin anti-tank missiles, is the news that the State Department just approved an export license for Barrett Firearms to sell M107A1s to Ukraine. The Ukranian military has had a constant issue sourcing effective anti-material rifles in the current conflict. Both because of the complexity of the political situation and finding potential buyers, but also because of the difficulty of manufacturing small arms in the country itself amid the economic conditions. Thus, we see such inventions as the DShK converted rifle/bipod mount, or pretty much anything else that can be improvised to sling lead at an opposing force.

From the article on Washington Post–

Administration officials confirmed that the State Department this month approved a commercial license authorizing the export of Model M107A1 Sniper Systems, ammunition, and associated parts and accessories to Ukraine, a sale valued at $41.5 million. These weapons address a specific vulnerability of Ukrainian forces fighting a Russian-backed separatist movement in two eastern provinces. There has been no approval to export the heavier weapons the Ukrainian government is asking for, such as Javelin antitank missiles.

The deal is valued at $41.5 Million USD. Even if every M107A1 package was $20,000, this would add up to at least a thousand or more rifles. That number obviously includes the miscellaneous costs of shipping, export permits, etc… But no doubt, it comes with a suite of primary optics, thermal or infrared imagers, maybe even Picatinny rail mounted ATPIAL devices and rangefinders, in addition to match grade .50 BMG ammunition.

Both this deal and the Javelin deal indicate that one of the threats posed by Ukranian Government forces against the separatists is an armor one, and thus the need to procure anti-armor small arms.