[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 163 (Wednesday, October 16, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5834-S5835]
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)(l) of

[[Page S5835]]

     the Arms Export Control Act, as amended, we are forwarding 
     herewith Transmittal No. 19-56 concerning the Air Force's 
     proposed Letter(s) of Offer and Acceptance to the Government 
     of Tunisia for defense articles and services estimated to 
     cost $234 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. 19-56

     Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to 
         Section 36(b)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act, as 
         amended
       (i) Prospective Purchaser: Government of Tunisia.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment* $115 million.
       Other $119 million.
       Total $234 million.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       Twelve (12) T-6C Texan Trainer Aircraft.
       Non-Major Defense Equipment (MDE): Also included in this 
     sale are spare engines, cartridge actuated devices/propellant 
     actuated devices operational flight trainer, spare parts, 
     ground handling equipment, support equipment, software 
     delivery and support, publications and technical 
     documentation, clothing, textiles and individual equipment, 
     aircraft ferry support, technical and logistical support 
     services, site surveys, minor modifications/class IV support, 
     personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government 
     and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support 
     services, and other related elements of logistical and 
     program support.
       (iv) Military Department: Air Force (TU-D-SAB).
       (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: October 10, 2019.
       * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

                  Tunisia--T-6C Texan Trainer Aircraft

       The Government of Tunisia has requested a possible sale of 
     twelve (12) T-6C Texan trainer aircraft, spare engines, 
     cartridge actuated devices/propellant actuated devices 
     operational flight trainer, spare parts, ground handling 
     equipment, support equipment, software delivery and support, 
     publications and technical documentation, clothing, textiles 
     and individual equipment, aircraft ferry support, technical 
     and logistical support services, site surveys, minor 
     modifications/class IV support, personnel training and 
     training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor 
     engineering, technical and logistics support services, and 
     other related elements of logistical and program support. The 
     estimated value is $234 million.
       This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and 
     national security of the United States by helping to improve 
     the defense capabilities and capacity of a major non-NATO 
     ally, which is an important force for political stability and 
     economic progress in North Africa. This potential sale will 
     provide additional opportunities for bilateral engagements 
     and further strengthen the bilateral relationship between the 
     United States and Tunisia.
       The proposed sale will replace Tunisia's aging trainer 
     fleet and allow Tunisia to continue training pilots to 
     support Tunisia's counter-terrorism and border security 
     missions. Tunisia will have no difficulty absorbing this 
     aircraft 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 Textron Aviation Defense LLC 
     of Wichita, Kansas. There are no known offset agreement 
     proposed with this potential sale. However, the purchaser 
     typically requests offsets. Any offset agreement will be 
     defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the 
     contractor.
       Implementation of this proposed sale will require the 
     assignment of nine U.S. Government and one contractor 
     representative to Tunisia.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 19-56

  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 T-6C is a single engine turboprop trainer aircraft 
     that includes a virtual no-drop scoring capability. Its 
     primary purpose is to teach air to ground operations. No hard 
     points or weapons can be carried on the T-6C.
       2. A determination has been made that the recipient country 
     can provide substantially the same degree of protection for 
     the 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.
       3. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal have been authorized for release and export to 
     the Government of Tunisia.

                          ____________________