[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 154 (Tuesday, September 24, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5659-S5660]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION

  Mr. RISCH. Madam President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control 
Act requires that Congress receives 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. 19-62 
     concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of Thailand for defense articles 
     and services estimated to cost $400 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. 19-62

     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 Thailand.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment*: $300 million.
       Other: $100 million.
       Total: $400 million.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE): Eight (8) AH-6i Helicopters, 
     Light Attack-Reconnaissance.
       Fifty (50) AGM-114R Hellfire.
       Two-hundred (200) Advance Precision Kill Weapon System 
     (APKWS) Rockets.
       Non-MDE: Also included are ten (10) M134 Mini Guns, ten 
     (10) M260 Rocket Launchers, ten (10) M299 Longbow Hellfire 
     Launcher, ten (10) AN/APN-209 Radar Altimeter, eight (8) AN/
     APR-39(V)(4), four (4) GAU-19/B .50 Cal Machine Gun, five-
     hundred (500) Hydra 70 Rockets, twenty (20) AN/AVS-6 Night 
     Vision Goggles, eight (8) WESCAM MX-10Di Cameras, ten (10) 
     AN/APX-123 IFF, ten (10) AN/ARC 201E-VHF-FM, ten (10) AN/ARC-
     231 w/ MX-4027, ten (10) LN-251 Inertial Navigation System/
     Global Positioning System (EGI), Aircrew Trainer (ACT), Pilot 
     Desktop Trainer (PDT), Virtual Maintenance Trainer (VMT), 
     contractor provided pilot and maintainer training, peculiar 
     ground support equipment, spares, publications, integrated 
     product support, technical assistance, quality assurance 
     team, transportation, and other related elements of logistics 
     and program support.

[[Page S5660]]

       (iv) Military Department: Army (TH-B-WHB).
       (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 Annex 
     Attached.
       (viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: September 24, 
     2019.
       * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

                      Thailand--AH-6i Helicopters

       The Government of Thailand has requested to buy eight (8) 
     AH-6i light attack reconnaissance helicopters; fifty (50) 
     AGM-114R Hellfire missiles; and two-hundred (200) Advance 
     Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) Rockets. Also included 
     are ten (10) M134 Mini Guns, ten (10) M260 Rocket Launchers; 
     ten (10) M299 Longbow Hellfire Launcher; ten (10) AN/APN-209 
     Radar Altimeter; eight (8) AN/APR-39(V)(4) four (4) GAU-19/B 
     .50 Cal Machine Gun; five-hundred (500) Hydra 70 Rockets; 
     twenty (20) AN/AVS-6 Night Vision Goggles; eight (8) WESCAM 
     MX-10Di Cameras; ten (10) AN/APX-123 IFF; ten (10) AN/ARC 
     201E-VHF-FM; ten (10) AN/ARC-231 w/ MX-4027; ten (10) LN-251 
     Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System (EGI); 
     Aircrew Trainer (ACT); Pilot Desktop Trainer (PDT); Virtual 
     Maintenance Trainer (VMT;, contractor provided pilot and 
     maintainer training peculiar ground support equipment; 
     spares; publications; integrated product support; technical 
     assistance; quality assurance team; transportation; and other 
     related elements of logistics and program support. The total 
     estimated program cost is $400 million.
       This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and 
     national security objectives of the United States by helping 
     to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO ally in INDO-
     PACOM. Thailand is a strategic partner committed to 
     contributing to regional security.
       The proposed sale of the AH-6i helicopter will improve the 
     Royal Thai Army's (RTA) light attack capability to strengthen 
     its homeland defense and deter regional threats. These AH-6i 
     helicopters will replace the RTA's aging fleet of seven AH-IF 
     Cobra helicopters. As part of a broader military 
     modernization effort, these AH-6i helicopters will provide 
     light attack reconnaissance for close air support to special 
     operations forces, Stryker infantry soldiers and border guard 
     units. Thailand 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 for the AH-6i is Boeing Company, 
     Mesa, Arizona. There are no known offset agreements proposed 
     in connection with this potential sale.
       Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the 
     assignment of any permanent additional U.S. Government or 
     Contractor representatives to Thailand.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness s 
     a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 19-62

     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 AH-6i Light Attack Helicopter is a commercial-off-
     the-shelf, light attack/reconnaissance helicopter to include 
     AN/APX-123 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) Mode S 
     Transponder, AN/ARC 201E-VHF/FM Radio, AN/ARC-231 w/MX-4027 
     Radio and LN 251 Embedded GPS/INS (EGI). The helicopter will 
     be equipped with the WESCAM MX-lODi Sight/Targeting Sensor to 
     ensure commonality and interoperability with the other 
     aircraft platforms. The airframe itself does not contain 
     sensitive technology.
       2. Identification and security classification of sensitive 
     technological information and/or restricted information 
     contained in the equipment, major components, subsystems, 
     software, technical data (Performance, Maintenance, R&M, 
     etc.) documentation, training devices and services to be 
     conveyed with the proposed sale. Also a brief explanation of 
     why information is sensitive:
       a. The AN/APX-123, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) 
     Transponder, is a space diversity transponder and is 
     installed on various military platforms. When installed in 
     conjunction with platform antennas and the RCU ( or other 
     appropriate control unit), the transponder provides 
     identification, altitude and surveillance reporting in 
     response to interrogations from airborne, ground-based and/or 
     surface interrogators. The transponder provides operational 
     capabilities for Mark XII Identification IFF capabilities of 
     Modes 1, 2, 2/ A, C and 4&5 and Modes S (levels 1, 2, and 3 
     capable).
       b. The LN-251 INS/GPS is a satellite based positioning 
     system coupled to the aircraft inertial navigation system to 
     provide aircraft position and navigation. The INS/GPS has an 
     embedded SAASM and has gyro and accelerometers that have been 
     evaluated as MTCR Category II controlled items, specifically 
     items 9.A.6 and 9.A.8.
       c. The WESCAM MX-10Di is a small Multi-Sensor, Multi-
     Spectral Imaging System with Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) 
     and Embedded with Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard 
     Positioning Service (SPS). WESCAM MX-10 is embedded with GPS 
     SPS. SPS is a three- dimensional position and time 
     determination capability provided to a user equipped with a 
     minimum capability GPS SPS receiver in accordance with GPS 
     national policy. The LN-200 is a small, lightweight fiber 
     optic IMU comprised of gyro and accelerometers that have been 
     evaluated as MTCR Category II controlled item, specifically 
     item 9.A.6.
       d. The M 134 Mini Gun has variable rates of fire-up to 4000 
     rounds per minute-and has seen increasingly widespread 
     deployment over the last several years.
       e. The AN/APR-39 (V)(4) Radar Signal Detecting Set is a 
     system that provides warning of a radar directed air defense 
     threat and allow appropriate countermeasures.
       F. The 12.7mm (.50 caliber) GAU-19/B Externally Powered 
     Gatling Gun, has variable rates of fire-up to 2000 rounds per 
     minute-and has seen increasingly widespread deployment over 
     the last several years.
       g. The M299 Longbow Hellfire Launcher (LBHL) is a digital 
     missile launcher capable of carry and launch of up to four of 
     any combination of AGM-114 missiles. The launcher provides 
     electronic functions required for the missile and launcher to 
     communicate with the platform through MIL-STD-1760 and MIL-
     STD-1553 interfaces. The production quad-rail configuration 
     was designed for use on the AH-640 Apache Longbow but is also 
     commonly used on a wide variety of other rotary-wing 
     platforms across all services. The M299 launcher has also 
     been successfully re-configured into a dual rail launcher for 
     weight savings and/or use on smaller platforms and also into 
     a single-rail configuration for use on Un-manned Air System 
     (UAS) platforms where the launcher electronics is integrated 
     within the platform airframe.
       h. The AGM-114 Hellfire II is a precision strike, Semi-
     Active Laser (SAL) guided missile and is the principal air-
     to-ground weapon for the Army AH-64 Apache. It provides the 
     warfighter with an air-to-ground, point target precision 
     strike capability to defeat advanced armor and an array of 
     traditional and non-traditional targets. The Hellfire AGM-
     114R model is a selectable multipurpose warhead providing 
     effects against a diverse target set.
       1. The M260 Rocket Launcher with APKWS capability is a 
     seven tube rocket launcher with a remote fuze setting 
     function. Once the target is located, single or multiple 
     pairs of the Hydra 70 APKWS folding-fin rockets can be 
     launched toward the target when a predetermined time signal 
     is sent to the electronic time fuze.
       J. The APKWS is a low cost semi-active laser guidance kit 
     developed by BAE Systems which is added to current unguided 
     70 mm rocket motors and warheads similar to and including the 
     Hydra 70 rocket. It is a low collateral damage weapon that 
     can effectively strike both soft and lightly armored targets. 
     APKWS turns a standard unguided 2.75 inch (70 mm) rocket into 
     a precision laser-guided rocket.
       k. AN/AVS-6 (Helmet Mounted) Night Vision Goggles. The AN/
     AVS-6 NVG is a 3rd generation aviation NVG offering higher 
     resolution, high gain, and photo response to near infrared. 
     AN/AVS-6 is a lightweight, binocular, night vision imaging 
     system developed by the US Anny specifically for helicopter 
     flying. The system can be mounted to a variety of aviator 
     helmets, including the SPH-4B, HGU-56P, HGU-55/P, HGU-55/G, 
     HGU-26/P and Alpha. A 25mm eye relief eyepieces easily 
     accommodate eyeglasses. Low-profile battery pack improves 
     aviator head mobility and increases battery life. Other 
     features include flipup/flop-down capability, simple 
     binocular attachment, individual interpapillary adjustment, 
     tilt, vertical and fore-aft adjustments to fit all aviators.
       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 Thailand can provide 
     substantially the same degree of protection for the 
     technology being released as the U.S. Government. This sale 
     supports the U.S. foreign policy and national security 
     objectives as outlined in the Policy Justification.
       5. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal have been authorized for release and export to 
     Thailand.

                          ____________________