[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 142 (Monday, August 10, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5371-S5372]
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. 20-18
concerning the Air Force's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Japan for defense article and
services estimated to cost $23.11 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. 20-18
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 Japan.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $11.30 billion.
Other $11.81 billion.
Total $23.11 billion.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Sixty-three (63) F-35A Conventional Take-Off and Landing
(CTOL) Aircraft.
Forty-two (42) F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing
(STOVL) Aircraft.
One hundred ten (110) Pratt and Whitney Fl35 Engines
(includes 5 spares).
Non-MDE: Also included are Electronic Warfare Systems;
Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence/
Communications, Navigation and Identification; Autonomic
Logistics Global Support System, Autonomic Logistics
Information System; Flight Mission Trainer; Weapons
Employment Capability, and other Subsystems, Features, and
Capabilities; F-35 unique infrared flares; reprogramming
center access and F-35 Performance Based Logistics; software
development/integration; flight test instrumentation;
aircraft ferry and tanker support; spare and repair parts;
support equipment, tools and test equipment; technical data
and publications; 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 (JA-D-SGN).
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: JA-D-SBC.
(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: July 9, 2020.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Japan--F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft
The Government of Japan has requested to buy sixty-three
(63) F-35A Conventional Take-Off and Landing (CTOL) aircraft,
forty-two (42) F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing
(STOVL) aircraft, and one hundred ten (110) Pratt and Whitney
Fl35 engines (includes 5 spares). Also included are
Electronic Warfare Systems; Command, Control, Communications,
Computers and Intelligence/Communications, Navigation and
Identification; Autonomic Logistics Global Support System,
Autonomic Logistics Information System; Flight Mission
Trainer; Weapons Employment Capability, and other Subsystems,
Features, and Capabilities; F-35 unique infrared flares;
reprogramming center access and F-35 Performance Based
Logistics; software development/integration; flight test
instrumentation; aircraft ferry and tanker support; spare and
repair parts; support equipment, tools and test equipment;
technical data and publications; personnel training and
training equipment; U.S. Government and contractor
engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and
other related elements of logistics support. The estimated
total cost is $23.11 billion.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals
and national security objectives of the United States by
improving the security of a major ally that is a force for
political stability and economic progress in the Asia-Pacific
region. It is vital to U.S. national interest to assist Japan
in developing and maintaining a strong and effective self-
defense capability.
The proposed sale of aircraft and support will augment
Japan's operational aircraft inventory and enhance its air-
to-air and air-to-ground self-defense capability. The Japan
[[Page S5372]]
Air Self-Defense Force's F-4 aircraft are being
decommissioned as F-35s are added to the inventory. Japan
will have no difficulty absorbing these 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 contractors will be Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Company, Fort Worth, Texas; and Pratt and Whitney Military
Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut. There are no known
offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential
sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple
trips to Japan involving U.S. Government and contractor
representatives for technical reviews/support, programs
management, and training over a period of 25 years. U.S.
contractor representatives will be required in Japan to
conduct Contractor Engineering Technical Services (CETS) and
Autonomic Logistics and Global Support (ALGS) for after-
aircraft delivery.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 20-18
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 F-35A Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL)
aircraft is a single-seat, single-engine, all-weather,
stealth, fifth-generation, multirole aircraft. The F-35B
Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant is
capable of operating from short airfields and ships. Both
variants contain sensitive technology including the low
observable airframe/outer mold line, the Pratt and Whitney
F135 engine, AN/APG-81 radar, an integrated core processor
central computer, a mission systems/electronic warfare suite,
a multiple sensor suite, technical data/documentation, and
associated software. Sensitive elements of the F-35A and F-
35B are also included in operational flight and maintenance
trainers. Sensitive and classified elements of the F-35A CTOL
and F-35B STOVL aircraft include hardware, accessories,
components, and associated software for the following major
subsystems:
a. The Pratt and Whitney F135 engine is a single 40,000-lb
thrust class engine designed for the F-35 and assures highly
reliable, affordable performance. The engine is designed to
be utilized in all F-35 variants, providing unmatched
commonality and supportability throughout the worldwide base
of F-35 users. The STOVL propulsion configuration consists of
the main engine, diverterless supersonic inlet, a three (3)
Bearing Swivel Module, Roll Posts and Duct Assembly System,
and Lift Fan.
b. The AN/APG-81 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA)
is a high processing power/high transmission power electronic
array capable of detecting air and ground targets from a
greater distance than mechanically scanned array radars. It
also contains a synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which creates
high-resolution ground maps and provides weather data to the
pilot, and provides air and ground tracks to the mission
system, which uses it as a component to fuse sensor data.
c. The Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) provides
long-range detection and tracking as well as an infrared
search and track (IRST) and forward-looking infrared (FLIR)
capability for precision tracking, weapons delivery, and bomb
damage assessment (BDA). The EOTS replaces multiple separate
internal or podded systems typically found on legacy
aircraft.
d. The Electro-Optical Distributed Aperture System (EODAS)
provides the pilot with full spherical coverage for air-to-
air and air-to-ground threat awareness, day/night vision
enhancements, a fire control capability, and precision
tracking of wingmen/friendly aircraft. The EODAS provides
data directly to the pilot's helmet as well as the mission
system.
e. The Electronic Warfare (EW) system is a reprogrammable,
integrated system that provides radar warning and electronic
support measures (ESM) along with a fully integrated
countermeasures (CM) system. The EW system is the primary
subsystem used to enhance situational awareness, targeting
support and self-defense through the search, intercept,
location and identification of in-band emitters and to
automatically counter IR and RF threats.
f. The Command, Control, Communications, Computers and
Intelligence/Communications, Navigation, and Identification
(C4I/CNI) system provides the pilot with unmatched
connectivity to flight members, coalition forces, and the
battlefield. It is an integrated subsystem designed to
provide a broad spectrum of secure, anti-jam voice and data
communications, precision radio navigation and landing
capability, self-identification, beyond visual range target
identification, and connectivity to off-board sources of
information. It also includes an inertial navigation and
global positioning system (GPS) for precise location
information. The functionality is tightly integrated within
the mission system to enhance efficiency.
g. The aircraft C4I/CNI system includes two data links, the
Multi-Function Advanced Data Link (MADL) and Link 16. The
MADL is designed specifically for the F-35 and allows for
stealthy communications between F-35s. Link 16 data link
equipment allows the F-35 to communicate with legacy aircraft
using widely-distributed J-series message protocols.
h. The F-35 Autonomic Logistics Global Sustainment (ALGS)
provides a fully integrated logistics management solution.
ALGS integrates a number of functional areas, including
supply chain management, repair, support equipment, engine
support, and training. The ALGS infrastructure employs a
state-of-the-art information system that provides real-time,
decision-worthy information for sustainment decisions by
flight line personnel. Prognostic health monitoring
technology is integrated with the air system and is crucial
to predictive maintenance of vital components.
i. The F-35 Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS)
provides an intelligent information infrastructure that binds
all the key concepts of ALGS into an effective support
system. ALIS establishes the appropriate interfaces among the
F-35 Air Vehicle, the warfighter, the training system,
government information technology (IT) systems, and
supporting commercial enterprise systems. Additionally, ALIS
provides a comprehensive tool for data collection and
analysis, decision support, and action tracking.
j. The F-35 Training System includes several training
devices to provide integrated training for pilots and
maintainers. The pilot training devices include a Full
Mission Simulator (FMS) and Deployable Mission Rehearsal
Trainer (DMRT). The maintainer training devices include an
Aircraft Systems Maintenance Trainer (ASMT), Ejection System
Maintenance Trainer (ESMT), Outer Mold Line (OML) Lab,
Flexible Linear Shaped Charge (FLSC) Trainer, F135 Engine
Module Trainer, and Weapons Loading Trainer (WLT). The F-35
Training System can be integrated, where both pilots and
maintainers learn in the same Integrated Training Center
(ITC). Alternatively, the pilots and maintainers can train in
separate facilities (Pilot Training Center and Maintenance
Training Center).
k. Other subsystems, features, and capabilities include the
F-35's low observable air frame, Integrated Core Processor
(ICP) Central Computer, Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS),
Pilot Life Support System, Off-Board Mission Support (OMS)
System, and publications/maintenance manuals. The HMDS
provides a fully sunlight readable, bi-ocular display
presentation of aircraft information projected onto the
pilot's helmet visor. The use of a night vision camera
integrated into the helmet eliminates the need for separate
Night Vision Goggles (NVG). The Pilot Life Support System
provides a measure of Pilot Chemical, Biological, and
Radiological Protection through use of an On-Board Oxygen
Generating System (OBOGS); and an escape system that provides
additional protection to the pilot. OBOGS takes the Power and
Thermal Management System (PTMS) air and enriches it by
removing gases (mainly nitrogen) by adsorption, thereby
increasing the concentration of oxygen in the product gas and
supplying breathable air to the pilot. The OMS provides a
mission planning, mission briefing, and a maintenance/
intelligence/tactical debriefing platform for the F-35.
2. The Reprogramming Center is located in the United States
and provides F-35 customers a means to update F-35 electronic
warfare databases.
3. The highest level of classification of information
included in this potential sale is SECRET.
4. 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.
5. A determination has been made that Japan can provide
substantially the same degree of protection for the sensitive
technology being released as the U.S. Government. This sale
is necessary in furthering U.S. foreign policy and national
security objectives outlined in the Policy Justification.
6. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal have been authorized for release and export to
Japan.
____________________