[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.
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