[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 155 (Wednesday, September 25, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5701-S5702]
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. 19-47 
     concerning the Air Force's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of Qatar for defense articles 
     and services estimated to cost $86 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. 19-47

     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 Qatar.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment * $17 million.
       Other $69 million.
       Total $86 million.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase: Qatar requested a 
     possible sale of two (2) AN/AAQ-24(V)N Large Aircraft 
     Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) systems to protect two (2) 
     Boeing 747-800 Head-of-State aircraft. Each LAIRCM system 
     consists of three (3) Guardian Laser Turret Assemblies 
     (GLTA), one (1) LAIRCM System Processor Replacement (LSPR), 
     five (5) Missile Warning Sensors (MWS), one (1) Control 
     Indicator Unit Replacement (CIUR), one (1) Smart Card 
     Assembly (SCA), and one (1) High Capacity Card (HCC/User Data 
     Memory (UDM) card.
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       Twelve (12) Guardian Laser Turret Assemblies (GLTA) (6 
     installed, 6 spares).
       Seven (7) LAIRCM System Processor Replacements (LSPR) (2 
     installed, 5 spares).
       Twenty-three (23) Missile Warning Sensors (MWS) (10 
     installed, 13 spares).
       Non-MDE: Also included are LAIRCM CIURs; SCAs; HCCs; UDM 
     cards; initial spares; consumables; repair and return 
     support; support equipment; engineering design; integration; 
     hardware integration; flight test and certifications; 
     selective availability anti-spoofing modules (SAASM); 
     publications and technical documentation; training and 
     training equipment; field service representatives; U.S. 
     Government and contractor engineering, technical, and 
     logistics support; and other related elements of logistics 
     and program support.
       (iv) Military Department: Air Force (QA-D-BAB).
       (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: QA-D-QAA and QA-D-QAF.
       (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 24, 
     2019.
       * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

  Qatar--Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) System for 
                         Head-of-State Aircraft

       The Government of Qatar has requested to buy two AN/AAQ-
     24(V)N Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) 
     systems to protect two (2) 747-800 Head-of-State aircraft. 
     This proposed sale will include: twelve (12) Guardian Laser 
     Turret Assemblies (GLTA) (6 installed, 6 spares); seven (7) 
     LAIRCM System Processor Replacements (LSPR) (2 installed 5 
     spares); twenty-three (23) Missile Warning Sensors (MWS) (10 
     installed, 13 spares); Control Indicator Unit Replacements 
     (CIURs); Smart Card Assemblies (SCAs); High Capacity Cards 
     (HCCs); User Data Memory (UDM) cards; initial spares; 
     consumables; repair and return support; support equipment; 
     engineering design; integration; hardware integration; flight 
     test and certifications; selective availability anti-spoofing 
     modules (SAASM); publications and technical documentation; 
     training and training equipment; field service 
     representatives; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, 
     technical, and logistics support; and other related elements 
     of logistics and program support. The estimated cost is $86 
     million.
       This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and 
     national security of the United States by helping to improve 
     the security of a friendly country that continues to be an 
     important force for political and economic progress in the 
     Middle East. Qatar is host to the U.S. Central Command forces 
     and serves as a critical forward-deployed location in the 
     region.
       The proposed sale will improve Qatar's capability to deter 
     regional threats. The self-protection suite will facilitate a 
     more robust capability into areas of increased missile 
     threats. Qatar will have no difficulty absorbing this 
     equipment and capability into its armed forces.
       The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not 
     alter the basic military balance in the region.
       The prime contractor will be Northrop Grumman, Rolling 
     Meadows, IL. There are no known offset agreements proposed in 
     connection with this potential sale.
       Implementation of this proposed sale may require the 
     assignment of a U.S. Government and/or contractor 
     representatives to Qatar to provide the field service support 
     as requested.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.

[[Page S5702]]

  



                         Transmittal No. 19-47

     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 AN/AAQ-24(V)N LAIRCM is a self-contained, directed 
     energy countermeasures system designed to protect aircraft 
     from infrared-guided surface-to-air missiles. The system 
     features digital technology and micro-miniature solid-state 
     electronics. The system operates in all conditions, detecting 
     incoming missiles and jamming infrared-seeker equipped 
     missiles with aimed bursts of laser energy. The LAIRCM system 
     consists of multiple Missile Warning Sensors, Guardian Laser 
     Turret Assembly (GLTA), LAIRCM System Processor Replacement 
     (LSPR), Control Indicator Unit Replacement (CIUR), and a 
     classified User Data Memory (UDM) card containing the laser 
     jam codes. The UDM card is loaded into the LSPR prior to 
     flight; when not in use, the UDM card is removed from the 
     LSRP and put in secure storage. The Missile Warning Sensors 
     (MWS) for AN/AAQ-24(V)N are mounted on the aircraft exterior 
     to provide omni-directional protection. The MWS detects the 
     rocket plume of missiles and sends appropriate data signals 
     to the LSPR for processing. The LSPR analyzes the data from 
     each sensor and automatically deploys the appropriate 
     countermeasure via the GLTA. The CIUR displays the incoming 
     threat for the pilot to take appropriate action. The LSPR 
     also contains Built-in-Test (BIT) circuitry. LAIRCM hardware 
     is CLASSIFIED only when a classified UDM card is inserted 
     into the system and it is powered up. LAIRCM system software, 
     including Operational Flight Program and jam codes, are 
     classified SECRET. Technical data and documentation to be 
     provided is UNCLASSIFIED.
       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 that 
     might reduce weapon system effectiveness or be used in the 
     development of a system with similar or advanced 
     capabilities.
       3. A determination has been made that Qatar 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.
       4. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal are authorized for release and export to the 
     Government of Qatar.

                          ____________________