The federal government is weighing sending Bradley Fighting Vehicles to Ukraine in an additional military aid package.

A final decision has not yet been made, a person with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg, and the vehicles would be included in a future package for military support.

A White House spokesperson who spoke on condition of anonymity said the United States is constantly in communication with Ukraine about what it needs to defend itself, but that the administration had nothing new to announce.

Manufactured by BAE Systems, the Bradley Fighting Vehicle is a lightly armored, fully tracked vehicle with a range of 300 miles and a top speed of 41 mph, according to Military.com. The vehicle's medium- and long-range firepower can destroy any other vehicle on the battlefield, and the vehicle itself is sufficiently armored to protect the crew from artillery and small-arms threats.

Ukraine has repeatedly asked for air defense systems, longer-range missiles and heavy vehicles from allied Western nations. Those requests have taken on a greater urgency in recent days, as Ukrainian officials warn that Russia is preparing a massive ground assault on the country.

With winter slowing ground battles in the east, Russia's focus has shifted to missile strikes, targeting Ukrainian energy and civilian infrastructure. One of the heaviest such assaults came on Thursday.

Mark Cancian, a former White House defense budget analyst now with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Bloomberg that sending Bradleys to Kyiv would "provide a major increase in ground combat capability."

Regardless of if or when Washington decides to send the armored vehicles, it would be months before Ukrainian troops could use them, as they would require training on how to operate and maintain them, Cancian added.

Earlier this month, the United States announced a new $1.85 billion lethal aid package for Ukraine that will include a Patriot missile battery for the first time. People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that the air defense system is not likely to be used until the spring, as Ukrainian troops receive training on how to operate it. 

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