[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 18, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2257-S2258]
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. 18-06,
concerning the Navy's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Mexico for defense articles
and services estimated to cost $1.2 billion. 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).
Enclosures.
Transmittal No. 18-06
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 Mexico.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $.8 billion.
Other $.4 billion.
Total $1.2 billion.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Eight (8) MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopters, equipped with:
Twenty (20) T-700 GE 401 C Engines (16 installed and 4
spares).
Sixteen (16) APS-153(V) Multi-Mode Radars (8 installed, 8
spares).
Ten (10) Airborne Low Frequency System (ALFS) (8 installed
and 2 spares).
Twelve (12) AN/AAS-44C Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems
Forward Looking Infrared Systems (8 installed, 4 spares).
Twenty (20) Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial
Navigation Systems (EGI) with Selective Availability/Anti-
Spoofing Module (16 installed and 4 spares).
Thirty (30) AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Devices.
One thousand (1,000) AN/SSQ-36/53/62 Sonobuoys.
Ten (10) AGM-114 Hellfire Missiles.
Five (5) AGM-114 M36-E9 Captive Air Training Missiles.
Four (4) AGM-114Q Hellfire Training Missiles.
Thirty eight (38) Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System
(APKWS) II Rockets.
Thirty (30) Mk -54 Lightweight Hybrid Torpedoes (LHTs).
Twelve (12) M-240D Machine Guns.
Twelve (12) GAU-21 Machine Guns.
Non-MDE: Also included are twelve (12) AN/ARC-220 High
Frequency radios; fourteen (14) AN/APX-123 Identification
Friend or Foe Transponders (8 installed and 6 spares); spare
engine containers; facilities study, design, and
construction; spare and repair parts; support and test
equipment; communication equipment; ferry support;
publications and technical documentation; personnel training
and training equipment; U.S. Government and contractor
engineering, technical and logistics support services; and
other related elements of logistical and program support.
(iv) Military Department: Navy (MX-P-SAA).
(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: See Attached
Annex.
(viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: April 18, 2018
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Mexico--MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopters
The Government of Mexico has requested to buy eight (8) MH-
60R Multi-Mission Helicopters, equipped with: twenty (20) T-
700 GE 401 C engines (16 installed and 4 spares); sixteen
(16) APS-153(V) Multi-Mode radars (8 installed, 8 spares);
ten (10) Airborne Low Frequency Systems (ALFS) (8 installed
and 2 spares); fourteen (14) AN/APX-123 Identification Friend
or Foe transponders (8 installed and 6 spares); twelve (12)
AN/AAS-44C Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems Forward Looking
Infrared Systems (8 installed, 4 spares); twenty (20)
Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation
Systems (EGI) with Selective Availability/Anti-Spoofing
Module (16 installed and 4 spares); thirty (30) AN/AVS-9
Night Vision Devices; one thousand (1,000) AN/SSQ-36/53/62
Sonobuoys; ten (10) AGM-114 Hellfire missiles; five (5) AGM-
114 M36-E9 Captive Air Training missiles; four (4) AGM-114Q
Hellfire training missiles; thirty eight (38) Advanced
Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS) II rockets; thirty (30)
Mk 54 Lightweight Hybrid Torpedoes (LHTs); twelve (12) M-240D
machine guns; twelve (12) GAU-21 Machine Guns. Also included
are twelve (12) AN/ARC-220 High Frequency radios; spare
engine containers; facilities study, design, and
construction; spare and repair parts; support and test
equipment; communication equipment; ferry support;
publications and technical documentation; personnel training
and training equipment; U.S. Government and contractor
engineering, technical and logistics support services; and
other related elements of logistical and program support. The
total estimated value is $1.20 billion.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security of the United States by helping to improve
the security of a strategic regional partner. Mexico has been
a strong partner in combating organized crime and drug
trafficking organizations. The sale of these aircraft to
Mexico will significantly increase and strengthen its
maritime capabilities. Mexico intends to use these defense
articles and services to modernize its armed forces and
expand its existing naval and maritime support of national
security requirements and in its efforts to combat criminal
organizations.
The proposed sale will improve Mexico's ability to meet
current and future threats from enemy weapon systems. The MH-
60R Multi-Mission Helicopter will enable Mexico to perform
anti-surface and antisubmarine warfare missions and secondary
missions including vertical replenishment, search and rescue,
and communications relay. Mexico will use the enhanced
capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to
strengthen its homeland defense. Mexico 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 Lockheed Martin Rotary and
Mission Systems in Owego, New York. There are no known offset
agreements in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will require the
assignment of additional U.S.
[[Page S2258]]
Government and/or contractor representatives to Mexico.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 18-06
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to
Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act
Annex Item No. vii
(vii) Sensitivity of Technology:
1. The MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopter focuses primarily on
anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare missions. The MH-60R
carries several sensors and data links to enhance its ability
to work in a network centric battle group as an extension of
its home ship/main operating base. The mission equipment
subsystem consists of the following sensors and subsystems:
an acoustics systems consisting of a dipping sonar and
sonobuoys, Multi-Mode Radar (MMR) with integral
Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogator, Electronic
Support Measures (ESM), Integrated Self-Defense (ISD), and
Multi-Spectral Targeting System (MTS). Also, Night Vision
Devices (AN/AVS-9) for CONOPS and interoperability with USN.
It can carry AGM-114A/B/K Hellfire missiles, as well as Mk
46/54 torpedoes to engage surface and sub-surface targets.
The Mexican MH-60R platform will include provisions for the
Mk 54 light weight torpedo. The MH-60R weapons system is
classified up to SECRET. Unless otherwise noted below, MH-60R
hardware and support equipment, test equipment, and
maintenance spares are UNCLASSIFIED except when electrical
power is applied to hardware containing volatile data
storage. Technical data and documentation for MH-60R weapons
systems (including sub-systems and weapons listed below) are
classified up to SECRET. The sensitive technologies include:
a. The AGM-114 HELLFIRE missile is an air-to-surface
missile with a multi-mission, multi-target, precision strike
capability. The HELLFIRE can be launched from multiple air
platforms and is the primary precision weapon for the United
States Army. The highest level for release of the AGM-114
HELLFIRE is SECRET, based upon the software. The highest
level of classified information that could be disclosed by a
proposed sale or by testing of the end item is SECRET; the
highest level that must be disclosed for production,
maintenance, or training is CONFIDENTIAL. Reverse engineering
could reveal CONFIDENTIAL information. Vulnerability data,
countermeasures, vulnerability/susceptibility analyses, and
threat definitions are classified SECRET or CONFIDENTIAL.
b. Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS) II laser
guided rocket to counter the fast attack craft and fast
inshore attack craft threat. APKWS hardware is UNCLASSIFIED.
c. The light-weight hybrid air launched torpedo (Mk 54 LHT)
is for surface and subsurface targets. The acquisition of Mk-
54 LHT will include ancillary equipment and publications.
d. Communications security devices contain sensitive
encryption algorithms and keying material. The purchasing
country has previously been released and utilizes COMSEC
devices in accordance with set procedures and without issue.
COMSEC devices will be classified up to SECRET when keys are
loaded.
e. Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) (KIV-78) contains
embedded security devices containing sensitive encryption
algorithms and keying material. The purchasing country will
utilize COMSEC devices in accordance with set procedures. The
AN/APX-123 is classified up to SECRET.
f. GPS/PPS/SAASM--Global Positioning System (GPS) provides
a space-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) that
has reliable location and time information in all weather and
at all times and anywhere on or near the earth when and where
there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS
satellites. Selective Availability/Anti-Spoofing Module
(SAASM) (AN/PSN-11) is used by military GPS receivers to
allow decryption of precision GPS coordinates. The GPS
hardware is UNCLASSIFIED. When electrical power is applied,
the system is classified up to SECRET.
g. Acoustics algorithms are used to process dipping sonar
and sonobuoy data for target tracking and for the Acoustics
Mission Planner (AMP), which is a tactical aid employed to
optimize the deployment of sonobuoys and the dipping sonar.
Acoustics hardware is UNCLASSIFIED. The acoustics system is
classified up to SECRET when environmental and threat
databases are loaded and/or the system is processing acoustic
data.
h. The AN/APS-153 multi-mode radar with an integrated IFF
and Inverse Synthetic Aperture (ISAR) provides target
surveillance/detection capability. The AN/APS-153 hardware is
unclassified. When electrical power is applied and mission
data loaded, the AN/APS-153 is classified up to SECRET.
i. The AN/ALQ-210 (ESM) system identifies the location of
an emitter. The ability of the system to identify specific
emitters depends on the data provided by the Mexican Navy.
The AN/ALQ-210 hardware is UNCLASSIFIED. When electrical
power is applied and mission data loaded, the AN/ALQ-210
system is classified up to SECRET.
j. The AN/AAS-44C Forward Looking Infrared Radar (FLIR)
uses the Multi-spectral Targeting System (MTS) that allows it
to operate in day/night and adverse weather conditions.
Imagery is provided by an Infrared sensor, a color/monochrome
DTV, and a Low-Light TV. The AN/AAS-44C hardware is
UNCLASSIFIED. When electrical power is applied, the AN/AAS-
44C is classified up to SECRET.
k. Satellite Communications Demand Assigned Multiple Access
(SATCOM DAMA), which provide increased, interoperable
communications capabilities with US forces. SATCOM DAMA
hardware is UNCLASSIFIED. When electrical power is applied
and mission data loaded these systems are classified up to
SECRET.
2. All the mission data, including sensitive parameters, is
loaded from an off board station before each flight and does
not stay with the aircraft after electrical power has been
removed. Sensitive technologies are protected as defined in
the program protection and anti-tamper plans. The mission
data and off board station are classified up to SECRET.
3. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain
knowledge of the specific hardware and software elements, the
information could be used to develop countermeasures which
might reduce weapon system effectiveness or be used in the
development of a system with similar or advanced
capabilities.
4. A determination has been made that the recipient country
can provide substantially the same degree of protection for
the sensitive technology being released as the U.S.
Government. This sale is necessary in furtherance of the U.S.
foreign policy and national security objectives outlined in
the Policy Justification.
5. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal have been authorized for release and export to
Mexico.
____________________