Pentagon’s ‘FrankenSAM’ program cobbles together air defense weapons for Ukraine

By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — The Pentagon calls it FrankenSAM. It’s a project that cobbles together air defense weapons for Ukraine from an array of parts from around the world. But now, as congressional gridlock delays funding for the war in Ukraine, the Frankenstein-like program for surface-to-air missiles has become more of a life saver and a reliable way to get working weapons to the battlefield now. The rapid delivery of the systems comes as Ukraine tries to ward off Russian airstrikes and make as many gains as possible before troops are slowed down by weather.