[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 73 (Monday, May 7, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2513-S2514]
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. 16-36, 
     concerning the Department of the Navy's proposed Letter(s) of 
     Offer and Acceptance to the Government of Bahrain for defense 
     articles and services estimated to cost $911.4 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).
       Enclosures.


                         transmittal no. 16-36

     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: The Government of Bahrain
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment * $490.9 million.
       Other $420.5 million.
       TOTAL $911.4 million.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       Twelve (12) AH-1Z Attack Helicopters
       Twenty-six (26) T-700 GE 401C Engines (twenty-four (24) 
     installed and two (2) spares)
       Fourteen (14) AGM-114 Hellfire Missiles
       Fifty-six (56) Advance Precision Kill Weapon System II 
     (APKWS-II) WGU-59B
       Non-MDE:
       Also includes fifteen (15) Honeywell Embedded Global 
     Positioning System (GPS) Inertial Navigation System (INS) 
     (EGI) w/Standard Positioning Service (SPS) (including three 
     (3) spares), twelve (12) Joint Mission Planning Systems, 
     twelve (12) M197 20mm gun systems, thirty (30) Tech Refresh 
     Mission Computers, fourteen (14) AN/AAQ-30 Target Sight 
     Systems, twenty six (26) Helmet Mounted Display/Optimized Top 
     Owl, communication equipment, electronic warfare systems, 
     fifteen (15) APX-117 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), 
     fifteen (15) AN/AAR-47 Missile Warning Systems, fifteen (15) 
     AN/ALE-47 Countermeasure Dispenser Sets, fifteen (15) APR-
     39C(V)2 Radar Warning Receivers, support equipment, spare 
     engine containers, spare and repair parts, tools and test 
     equipment, technical data and publications, personnel 
     training and training equipment, U.S. government and 
     contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support 
     services, and other related elements of logistics and program 
     support.
       (iv) Military Department: Navy
       (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 27, 2018
       *As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          policy justification

                   Bahrain--AH-1Z Attack Helicopters

       The Government of Bahrain has requested twelve (12) AH-1Z 
     attack helicopters, twenty-six (26) T-700 GE 401C engines 
     (twenty-four (24) installed and two (2) spares), fourteen 
     (14) AGM-114 Hellfire Missiles, and fifty-six (56) Advance 
     Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS-II) WGU-59Bs. This 
     request also includes fifteen (15) Honeywell Embedded Global 
     Positioning System (GPS) Inertial Navigation System (INS) 
     (EGI) w/Standard Positioning Service (SPS) (including three 
     (3) spares), twelve (12) Joint Mission Planning Systems, 
     twelve (12) M197 20mm gun systems, thirty (30) Tech Refresh 
     Mission Computers, fourteen (14) AN/AAQ-30 Target Sight 
     Systems, twenty six (26) Helmet Mounted Display/Optimized Top 
     Owl,

[[Page S2514]]

     communication equipment, electronic warfare systems, fifteen 
     (15) APX-117 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), fifteen (15) 
     AN/AAR-47 Missile Warning Systems, fifteen (15) AN/ALE-47 
     Countermeasure Dispenser Sets, fifteen (15) APR-39C(V)2 Radar 
     Warning Receivers, support equipment, spare engine 
     containers, spare and repair parts, tools and test equipment, 
     technical data and publications, personnel training and 
     training equipment, U.S. government and contractor 
     engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and 
     other related elements of logistics and program support. The 
     total estimated cost is $911.4 million.
       This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy 
     and national security of the United States by helping to 
     improve the security of a major Non-NATO ally which is an 
     important security partner in the region. Our mutual defense 
     interests anchor our relationship and the Royal Bahraini Air 
     Force plays a significant role in Bahrain's defense.
       The proposed sale improves Bahrain's capability to meet 
     current and future threats. Bahrain will use this capability 
     as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its 
     homeland defense. This sale will improve interoperability 
     with U.S. forces. Bahrain will have no difficulty absorbing 
     these helicopters into its armed forces.
       This proposed sale of equipment and support will not alter 
     the basic military balance in the region.
       The principal contractors will be Bell Helicopter, Textron, 
     Fort Worth, Texas; and General Electric Company, Lynn, 
     Massachusetts. There are no known offset agreements proposed 
     in conjunction with this potential sale.
       Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple 
     trips by U.S. Government and contractor representatives to 
     participate in program and technical reviews plus training 
     and maintenance support in country, on a temporary basis, for 
     a period of sixty (60) months. It will also require three (3) 
     contractor representatives to reside in country for a period 
     of two (2) years to support this program.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         transmittal no. 16-36

     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 following components and technical documentation for 
     the program are classified as listed below:
       a. The AH-1 Z-model has an Integrated Avionics System (IAS) 
     which includes two (2) mission computers and an automatic 
     flight control system. Each crew station has two (2) 8x6-inch 
     multifunction liquid crystal displays (LCD) and one (1) 4.2 x 
     4.2-inch dual function LCD display. The communications suite 
     will have NON-COMSEC ARC 210 Ultra High Frequency Very High 
     Frequency (UHF/VHF) radios with associated communications 
     equipment (antennas, mounts). The navigation suite includes 
     Honeywell Embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) Inertial 
     Navigation System (INS) (EGI) w/ Standard Positioning Service 
     (SPS), a digital map system, a low-airspeed air data 
     subsystem, which allows weapons delivery when hovering, and a 
     AN/APX-117/A(V) IFF Transponder.
       b. The crew is equipped with the Optimized Top Owl (OTO) 
     helmet-mounted sight and display system. The OTO has a Day 
     Display Module (DDM) and a Night Display Module (NDM). The 
     AH-lZ has survivability equipment including the AN/AAR-47 
     Missile Warning and Laser Detection System, AN/ALE-47 Counter 
     Measure Dispensing System (CMDS) and the AN/APR-39 Radar 
     Warning Receiver (RWR) to cover countermeasure dispensers, 
     radar warning, incoming/on-way missile warning and on- 
     fuselage laser-spot warning systems.
       c. The following performance data and technical 
     characteristics are classified as follows for the AH-1Z 
     Airframe: countermeasure capability--SECRET, counter-
     countermeasures capability--SECRET, vulnerability to 
     countermeasures--SECRET, vulnerability to electromagnetic 
     pulse from nuclear environmental effects--SECRET, radar 
     signature--SECRET, infrared signature--SECRET, acoustic 
     signature--CONFIDENTIAL, ultraviolet signature--SECRET, 
     mission effectiveness against threats--CONFIDENTIAL, target 
     sight system--up to SECRET, Tactical Air Moving Map 
     Capability (TAMMAC)--up to SECRET, Honeywell Embedded GPS INS 
     (EGI) w/SPS--UNCLASSIFIED, AN/ARC-210 RT 629F-23--
     UNCLASSIFIED, AN/APX-117/A(V) IFF Transponder--UNCLASSIFIED, 
     VCR or DVR--up to SECRET, APR-39 Radar Warning System (RWS)--
     up to SECRET, AN/AAR-47 Missile/Laser Warning System (MLWS)--
     up to SECRET, AN/ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispenser Set 
     (CMDS)--up to SECRET.
       d. The APKWS is a low-cost semi-active laser guidance kit 
     developed by BAE Systems which converts unguided 2.75 inch 
     (70 mm) rockets into precision laser-guided rockets. The 
     classification is up to SECRET.
       e. The AGM-114 Hellfire II Semi-Active Laser (SAL) Missiles 
     are rail-launched guided missiles developed and produced by 
     Lockheed Martin. The guidance system employs a SAL seeker. 
     The SAL missile homes in on the laser energy reflected off a 
     target that has been illuminated by a laser designator. The 
     laser can be on either the launch platform or another 
     platform that can be separated from it by several kilometers. 
     The target sets are armor, bunkers, caves, enclosures, boats, 
     and enemy personnel. The weapon system hardware, as an ``All 
     Up Round,'' is UNCLASSIFIED. The highest level of classified 
     information to be disclosed regarding the AGM-114 Hellfire II 
     missile software is SECRET. The highest level of classified 
     information that could be disclosed by a proposed sale or by 
     testing of the end item is SECRET and the highest level that 
     must be disclosed for production, maintenance, or training is 
     CONFIDENTIAL.
       2. 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.
       3. The consequences of the loss of this technology to a 
     technologically advanced or competent adversary could result 
     in the compromise of equivalent systems, which in turn could 
     reduce those weapons system's effectiveness, or be used in 
     the development of a system with similar or advanced 
     capabilities.
       4. A determination has been made that the Government of 
     Bahrain can provide substantially the same degree of 
     protection for the technology being released as the U.S. 
     Government. This sale of the AH-1 Z Helicopter and associated 
     weapons will further U.S. foreign policy and national 
     security objectives.
       5. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal are authorized for release and export to the 
     Government of Bahrain.

                          ____________________