[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 74 (Monday, May 1, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2648-S2649]
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. 17-07, 
     concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of Kenya for defense articles 
     and services estimated to cost $253 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. 17-07

     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: Government of Kenya.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment* $0 million.
       Other $253 million.
       Total $253 million.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Maior Defense Equipment (MDE): None.
       Non-MDE:
       Twelve (12) MD 530F Weaponized Aircraft.
       Twenty-four (24) Heavy Machine Gun Pod (HMP) 400 Systems.
       Twenty-four (24) M260 Rocket Launchers.
       Four thousand and thirty-two (4,032) M151 Rockets.
       One thousand five hundred and thirty-six (1,536) 2.75-inch 
     M274 Smoke signature Warhead Rockets.
       Four hundred thousand (400,000) rounds of .50 Caliber 
     Ammunition.
       Also included is communications and navigation equipment, 
     contractor logistics support, training, U.S. Government 
     technical assistance, airframe and weapon system spare parts 
     support. Contractor Field Service Representative (CFSR) 
     support, and Special Airlift Assignment Mission (SAAM) flight 
     delivery support.
       (iv) Military Department: Army (UDQ).
       (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: None.
       (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: None.
       (viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: May 1, 2017.
       *As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

                         Kenya--MD 530 Aircraft

       The Government of Kenya has requested a possible sale of 
     twelve (12) MD 530F weaponized aircraft to include twenty-
     four (24) Heavy Machine Gun Pod (HMP) 400 systems; twenty-
     four (24) M260 rocket launchers; four thousand and thirty-two 
     (4,032) M151 rockets; one thousand five hundred and thirty-
     six (1,536) 2.75-inch M274 smoke signature warhead rockets; 
     and four hundred thousand (400,000) rounds of .50 caliber 
     ammunition. Also included are communications and navigation 
     equipment, contractor logistics support, training, U.S. 
     Government technical assistance, airframe and weapon system 
     spare parts support, Contractor Field Service Representative 
     (CFSR) support, and Special Assigned Airlift Mission (SAAM) 
     flight delivery support. The total estimated cost is $253 
     million.
       This proposed sale contributes to the foreign policy and 
     national security of the United States by improving the 
     security of a strong regional partner who is a regional 
     security leader, undertaking critical operations against al-
     Shabaab, and a troop contributor to the African Union Mission 
     in Somalia (AMISOM).
       The proposed sale of the MD 530F helicopters, weapons, 
     ammunition, support items and technical support will advance 
     Kenya's efforts to conduct scout and attack rotary wing 
     aircraft operations in support of their AMISOM mission. The 
     MD 530F will also replace Kenya's aging MD500 fleet, which is 
     the current reconnaissance platform supporting Kenyan ground 
     forces. This sale will significantly enhance the Kenyan 
     Army's modernization efforts and increase interoperability 
     with the U.S. Armed Forces and other partners in the region. 
     Additionally, a strong national defense and dedicated 
     military force will assist Kenya in its efforts to maintain 
     stability in East Africa.
       Kenya will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into 
     its armed forces.
       The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not 
     alter the basic military balance in the region.
       The principal contractor will be MD Helicopters, Mesa, AZ. 
     There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection 
     with this potential sale.
       Implementation of this proposed sale will require the 
     assignment of approximately twelve (12) additional contractor 
     representatives in country for a period of 12 months.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.

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