[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 186 (Wednesday, November 20, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6707-S6708]
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

[[Page S6708]]

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. 19-59, 
     concerning the Navy's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of India for defense articles 
     and services estimated to cost $1.0210 billion. 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. 19-59

     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 India.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment * $.5614 billion.
       Other $.4596 billion.
       Total $1.0210 billion.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       Up to thirteen (13) MK 45 5 inch/62 caliber (MOD 4) naval 
     guns.
       Up to three thousand five hundred (3,500) D349 Projectile, 
     BL&P 5"/54 MK 92 MOD 1 Ammunition.
       Non-MDE: Also included are other ammunition, spare parts, 
     personnel training and equipment training, publications and 
     technical data, transportation, U.S. Government and 
     contractor technical assistance and other related logistics 
     support.
       (iv) Military Department: Navy (IN-P-LAU).
       (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: November 19, 
     2019.
       *As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          policy justification

                        India--MK 45 Gun System

       The Government of India has requested to buy up to thirteen 
     (13) MK 45 5 inch/62 caliber (MOD 4) naval guns and three 
     thousand five hundred (3,500) D349 Projectile, 5''/54 MK 92 
     MOD 1 Ammunition. Also included are other ammunition, spare 
     parts, personnel training and equipment training, 
     publications and technical data, transportation, U.S. 
     Government and contractor technical assistance and other 
     related logistics support. The total estimated cost is 
     $1.0210 billion.
       This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and 
     national security of the United States by improving the 
     security of a strategic regional partner.
       The proposed sale will improve India's capability to meet 
     current and future threats from enemy weapon systems. The MK-
     45 Gun System will provide the capability to conduct anti-
     surface warfare and anti-air defense missions while enhancing 
     interoperability with U.S. and other allied forces. India 
     will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional 
     threats and to strengthen its homeland defense.
       The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not 
     alter the basic military balance in the region.
       The principal contractor will be BAE Systems Land and 
     Armaments, Minneapolis, Minnesota with gun manufacturing in 
     Louisville, Kentucky. There are no known offset agreements 
     proposed in connection with this potential sale. Any offset 
     agreement required by India will be defined in negotiations 
     between the purchaser and the contractor(s).
       Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the 
     assignment of additional U.S. Government and/or contractor 
     representatives to India. However, U.S. Government or 
     contractor personnel in country visits will be required on a 
     temporary basis in conjunction with program technical 
     oversight and support requirements.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 19-59

     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 MK-45 Gun System is a U.S. naval artillery gun mount 
     consisting of 127 mm (5 inch) L54 Mark 19 Gun on Mark 45 
     Mount. The highest level of release of the subsystem is 
     UNCLASSIFIED. The highest level of information that could be 
     disclosed by a proposed sale or by testing of the end item is 
     UNCLASSIFIED; the highest level that must be disclosed for 
     production, maintenance, or training is UNCLASSIFIED. Reverse 
     engineering would not reveal venerable information.
       2. A determination has been made that India can provide 
     substantially the same degree of protection for the sensitive 
     technology being released as the U.S. Government. This 
     proposed sale is necessary to further the U.S. foreign policy 
     and national security objectives outlined in the Policy 
     Justification.
       3. All defense articles and services listed on this 
     transmittal have been authorized for release and export to 
     the Government of India.

                          ____________________