"I wouldn't say we're quite there 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."
US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro has stated that within the next six months, the US Navy may need to choose between arming itself or Ukraine, as weapons producers aren't making them quickly enough.
Del Toro was asked by a reporter whether "the Navy might get to the point where it has to make the decision whether it needs to arm itself or arm Ukraine, and has the Navy gotten to that point yet?" according to Defense One.
He responded by saying "With regards to deliveries of weapons systems for the fight in Ukraine…Yeah, that's always a concern for us. And we monitor that very, very closely."
"I wouldn't say we're quite there 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 added.
The Navy secretary went on to explain how Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks is working closely with the defense industry to help them overcome any challenges or obsticals that are slowing down weapon production.
"It's obvious that you know, these companies have a substantial pipeline for the future," Del Toro said. "They now need to invest in their workforce, as well as the capital investments that they have to make within their own companies to get their production rates up."
These questions came following comments made by a four-star admiral who claimed that defense companies were using the pandemic as an excuse for delaying weapons deliveries.
"I'm not...talking about what it’s doing to me, I'm talking about of course, we're going to help a country—deliver the stuff we need—so they can win that conflict against Russia and it's not going to destroy and set me back into the dark ages," Adm. Daryl Caudle, head of U.S. Fleet Forces Command said.
The Biden administration has poured more than $100 billion into the war in Ukraine. $47 billion alone came from the government's $1.7 trillion end-of-year federal spending bill which passed the House in December.
Republicans have been highly critical of the enormous amounts of weapons and funding that the White House has given to Ukraine, with many of them calling for its to stop.
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