[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 146 (Thursday, September 12, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5470-S5471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Mr. RISCH. 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. James E. Risch,
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. 19-45
concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Morocco for defense articles
and services estimated to cost $776 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,
Charles W. Hooper,
Lieutenant General, USA, Director.
Enclosures.
transmittal no. 19-45
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: Kingdom of Morocco.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $700 million.
[[Page S5471]]
Other $76 million.
Total $776 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Two thousand four hundred and one (2,401) TOW 2A, Radio
Frequency (RF) Missiles (BGM-71-4B-RF).
Twenty-eight (28) TOW 2A, Radio Frequency (RF) Missiles
(BGM-71-4B-RF) Fly-to-Buy Lot Acceptance Missiles.
Four hundred (400) M220A2 TOW Launchers and/or four hundred
(400) M41 Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS)
Launchers.
Non-MDE: Also included are missile support equipment;
Government furnished equipment; technical manuals/
publications; spare parts; tool and test equipment; training;
U.S. Government technical and logistical support, contractor
technical support, and other associated equipment and
services.
(iv) Military Department: Army.
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: MO-B-USZ.
(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: September 11,
2019.
*As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
policy justification
Morocco--TOW 2A., Radio Frequency (RF) Missiles (BGM-71-4B-RF)
The Government of Morocco has requested a possible sale of
two thousand four hundred and one (2,401) TOW 2A, Radio
Frequency (RF) Missiles (BGM-71-4B-RF); and twenty eight (28)
TOW 2A, Radio Frequency (RF) Missiles (BGM-71-4B-RF), Fly-to-
Buy missiles for lot acceptance testing; and Four hundred
(400) M220A2 TOW Launchers and/or four hundred (400) M41
Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS) Launchers. Also
included are missile support equipment; Government furnished
equipment; technical manuals/publications; spare parts; tool
and test equipment; training; U.S. Government technical and
logistical support, contractor technical support, and other
associated equipment and services. The estimated cost is $776
million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security of the United States by helping to improve
the security of a major Non-NATO ally that continues to be an
important force for political stability and economic progress
in North Africa.
The proposed sale of the TOW 2A Missiles and TOW Launchers
will advance Morocco's efforts to develop an integrated
ground defense capability. A strong national defense and
dedicated military force will assist Morocco to sustain
itself in its efforts to maintain stability.
The proposed sale of this equipment will not alter the
basic military balance in the region.
The principal contractors involved in this program are
Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona and McKinney,
Texas. There are no known offset agreements proposed in
connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the
U.S. Government or contractor representatives to travel to
Morocco.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
transmittal no. 19-45
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 TOW 2A, Radio Frequency (RF) Missiles (BGM-71-4B-
RF) is a direct attack missile designed to defeat armored
vehicles, reinforced urban structures, field fortifications
and other such targets. TOW missiles are fired from a variety
of TOW launchers in the U.S. Army, USMC, and FMS customer
forces. The TOW 2A RF missile can be launched from the same
launcher platforms as the existing wire-guided TOW 2A missile
without modification to the launcher. The TOW 2A missile
(both wire & RF) contains two tracker beacons (xenon and
thermal) for the launcher to track and guide the missile in
flight. Guidance commands from the launcher are provided to
the missile by a RF link contained within the commands from
the missile case. The hardware, software, and technical
publications provided with the sale are UNCLASSIFIED.
However, the system itself contains sensitive technology that
instructs the system on how to operate in the presence of
countermeasures.
2. Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS) is designed
to fire all existing versions of the TOW missile and consists
of a Target Acquisition Subsystem (TAS), a Fire Control
Subsystem (FCS), a Li-Ion Battery Box (LBB), a modified
Traversing Unit (TU) plus the standard launch tube and
tripod. The ITAS provides for the integration of both the
direct view optics and a second generation Standard Advanced
Dewar Assembly (SADA) II thermal sensor into a single
housing; direct view optics that provide viewing the target
scene in daylight and non-obscured conditions; introduction
of both passive and active eye safe laser-ranging;
development of embedded training and training sustainment;
automatic bore sight which allows the gunner to align the
night vision system with the direct view optics; insertion of
advanced Built-in Test/Built-in Test Equipment (BIT/BITE)
which provides fault detection and recognition and go/no go
status for the gunner; and an Aided Target Tracker (A17) that
provides the capability to process infrared imagery into
recognizable contour features used to assist the gunner's aim
point.
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 that
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 Morocco 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 are authorized for release and export to the
Government of Morocco.
____________________