[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 57 (Tuesday, April 10, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S2033]
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,
Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Pursuant to the reporting requirements
of Section 36(b)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 17-24,
concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Qatar for defense articles
and services estimated to cost $300 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,
Gregory M. Kausner
(For Charles W. Hooper,
Lieutenant General, USA,
Director).
Enclosure.
Transmittal No. 17-24
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to
Section 36(b)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended
(i) Prospective Purchaser: Government of Qatar.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $250 million.
Other $50 million.
Total $300 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
MDE:
Five thousand (5,000) Advanced Precision Kill Weapon
Systems (APKWS) II Guidance Sections.
Non-MDE: Also included are five thousand (5,000) MK66-4
2.75 inch Rocket Motors, five thousand (5,000) High Explosive
Warheads for Airborne 2.75 inch Rockets, inert MK66-4 2.75
inch Rocket Motors, Inert High Explosive Warhead for Airborne
2.75 inch Rockets, support equipment, spares, training,
publications, engineering technical assistance, program
management technical assistance, logistics support services,
and other related elements of program support.
(iv) Military Department: U.S. Army (QA-B-WYX).
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: QA-B-WYX, 19 Aug 14).
(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: April 9, 2018.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Qatar--Five thousand (5,000) Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems
(APKWS) and Related Equipment and Support
The Government of Qatar has requested a possible sale of
five thousand (5,000) Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems
(APKWS) II Guidance Sections. Also included are five thousand
(5,000) MK66-4 2.75 inch rocket motors, five thousand (5,000)
high explosive warheads for airborne 2.75 inch rockets, inert
MK66-4 2.75 inch rocket motors, inert high explosive warhead
for airborne 2.75 inch rockets, support equipment, spares,
training, publications, engineering technical assistance,
program management technical assistance, logistics support
services, and other related elements of program support. The
estimated total program value is $300 million.
This proposed sale supports the foreign policy and national
security objectives of the United States. Qatar is an
important force for political stability and economic progress
in the Persian Gulf region. Our mutual defense interests
anchor our relationship and the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF)
plays a predominant role in Qatar's defense.
Qatar intends to use these defense articles and services to
modernize its armed forces. This will contribute to Qatar's
military goal by providing additional capability to its new
AH-64E aircraft fleet. The APKWS will provide Qatar with a
low-cost precision strike capability, decreasing collateral
damage and expanding its options for counterterrorism
operations. Qatar 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 involved in this program is BAE,
Nashua, New Hampshire. There are no known offset agreements
proposed in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will require two U.S.
Government or contractor representatives to travel to the
State of Qatar for a period of one week to train in assembly
and Wing Slot Seal replacement.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 17-24
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to
Section 36(b)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act
Annex Item No. vii
(vii) Sensitivity of Technology:
1. The APKWS II All-Up-Round is an air-to-ground weapon
that consists of an APKWS II Guidance Section (GS), legacy
2.75 inch MK66 Mod 4 rocket motor and legacy MK152 and MK435/
436 warhead/fuse. The APKWS II GS is installed between the
rocket motor and warhead and provides a Semi-Active Laser
(SAL) precision capability to legacy unguided 2.75-inch
rockets. The APKWS II is procured as an independent component
to be mated to the appropriate 2.75-inch warhead/fuse;
however, for this case the APKWS II will be delivered as an
All-up-Round (AUR).
2. The GS is manually set with the appropriate laser code
during loading and is launched from any platform configured
with a LAU-68F/A, or similar launcher(s). After launch, the
GS activates and the seeker detects laser energy reflected
from a target designated with a remote or autonomous laser.
The control system then guides the rocket to the target.
3. The only interface required with the host platform is a
28V Direct Current (DC) firing pulse.
4. APKWS II increases stowed kills by providing precise
engagements at standoff ranges with sufficient accuracy for a
high single-shot probability of hit against soft and lightly
armored targets, thereby minimizing collateral damage. The
APKWS II is capable of day and night operations and
performance is many adverse environments.
5. All training for APKWS II is UNCLASSIFIED. The training
required is: pilot training to effectively employ the APKWS
II, ordnance handler for safe handling and preparation of the
APKWS II and AUR, and maintenance training for replacement of
the Wing Slot Seal (WSS).
6. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal are authorized for release and export to the
State of Qatar.
____________________