NEW YORK, Sept 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden plans to announce a $325 million military aid package for Ukraine on Thursday to coincide with a visit to Washington by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a U.S. official said on Wednesday on condition of anonymity.

The weapons aid package was expected to include the second tranche of cluster munitions fired by a 155 millimeter Howitzer cannon, the U.S official said.

Other new weapons for Ukraine were expected to be announced around the time of Biden's meeting with Zelenskiy, but not ATACMS missiles which have been under discussion, the U.S. official said.

The unguided artillery shells are fired from NATO standard 155 cannons, have a maximum range of 18 miles (29 km) and carry up to 72 dual-purpose improved conventional munition (DPICM) M42 and M46 bomblets.

In addition, Washington plans to send more Avenger short-range air defense systems that use Stinger missiles, made by RTX Corp (RTX.N), formerly Raytheon, the official said.

Since the Russian invasion in February 2022 the U.S. has sent more than $40 billion worth of security assistance to Ukraine.

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