[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 21, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S1886]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION

  Mr. CORKER. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control 
Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain 
proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, 
the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be 
reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the 
notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the 
Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
  In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant 
information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to 
have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. 
If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is 
available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations 
Committee, room SD-423.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                  Defense Security


                                           Cooperation Agency,

                                                    Arlington, VA.
     Hon. Bob Corker,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
     U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Pursuant to the reporting requirements 
     of Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as 
     amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 17-02, 
     concerning the Air Force's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of the United Kingdom for 
     defense articles and services estimated to cost $150 million. 
     After this letter is delivered to your office, we plan to 
     issue a news release to notify the public of this proposed 
     sale.
           Sincerely,
                                                       J.W. Rixey,
                                      Vice Admiral, USN, Director.
       Enclosures.


                         Transmittal No. 17-02

     Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to 
         Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as 
         amended
       (i) Prospective Purchaser: United Kingdom.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment* $135.0 million.
       Other $ 15.0 million.
       Total $150.0 million.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       One thousand (1,000) AGM-114-R1/R2 Hellfire II Semi-Active 
     Laser (SAL) Missiles.
       Non-MDE:
       Logistics support services and other related program 
     support.
       (iv) Military Department: Air Force (YAI).
       (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: UK-D-YAC--$22M--May 2008; 
     UK-D-YAF--$21M--Mar 2011; UK-D-YAY--$134M--Aug 2013.
       (vi) Sales Commission. Fee. etc., Paid. Offered, or Agreed 
     to be Paid: None.
       (vii) Sensitivity of Technology Contained in the Defense 
     Article or Defense Services Proposed to be Sold: See Attached 
     Annex.
       (viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: March 16, 2017.
       *As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

                   United Kingdom--Hellfire Missiles

       The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) requested a 
     possible sale of 1,000 AGM-114-RI/R2 Hellfire II Semi-Active 
     Laser (SAL) Missiles with logistics support services and 
     other related program support. The estimated cost is $150 
     million.
       This proposed sale directly contributes to the foreign 
     policy and national security policies of the United States by 
     enhancing the close air support capability of the UK in 
     support of NATO and other coalition operations. Commonality 
     between close air support capabilities greatly increases 
     interoperability between our two countries' military and 
     peacekeeping forces and allows for greater burden sharing.
       The proposed sale improves the UK's capability to meet 
     current and future threats by providing close air support to 
     counter enemy attacks on coalition ground forces in the U.S. 
     Central Command area of responsibility (AOR) and other areas, 
     as needed. The UK already has Hellfire missiles in its 
     inventory and will have no difficulty absorbing these 
     additional missiles.
       The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not 
     alter the basic military balance in the region.
       There is no principal contractor for this sale as the 
     missiles are coming from U.S. stock.
       Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the 
     assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor 
     representatives to the UK.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.

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