[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 154 (Tuesday, September 8, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5437-S5438]
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 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)(I) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 20-56
concerning the Air Force's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of France for defense articles
and services estimated to cost $350 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,
Heidi H. Grant,
Director.
Enclosures.
TRANSMITTAL NO. 20-56
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 France.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $50 million.
Other $300 million.
Total $350 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase: Support for C-130
aircraft.
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Four (4) AE-2100D Turbo Prop Engines.
Two (2) Multifunctional, Information Distribution System-
Low Volume Terminal Block Upgrade Two (MIDS-LVT BU2).
Non-MDE: Also included are AN/ARC-210 radios; AN/ARC-164
radios; L-3 CSW Multiband Receiver/Transmitters; AN/ARN-153
Navigation Systems; AN/ARN-147 Receivers; AN/APN-241 Radar
Receiver Transmitter Processor; ARC-190 High Frequency
Receivers; AAR-60 Missile Launch Warning Systems; MTS-A
Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) system; AN/APX-119
Identification Friend or Foe Systems; Joint Mission Planning
System (JMPS); encryption devices; spare and repair parts;
software delivery and support; publications and technical
documentation; 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 (FR-D-QAM).
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: GY-D-SUA and FR-D-SAE.
(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 2,
2020.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
France--C-130 Aircraft Support
The Government of France has requested to buy four (4) AE-
2100D Turbo Prop engines and two (2) Multifunctional,
Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminal Block
Upgrade Two (MIDS-LVT BU2). Also included are AN/ARC-210
radios; AN/ARC-164 radios; L-3 CSW Multiband Receiver/
Transmitters; AN/ARN-153 Navigation Systems; AN/ARN-147
Receivers; AN/APN-241 Radar Receiver Transmitter Processor;
ARC-190 High Frequency Receivers; AAR-60 Missile Launch
Warning Systems; MTS-A Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR)
system; AN/APX-119 Identification Friend or Foe Systems;
Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS); encryption devices;
spare and repair parts; software delivery and support;
publications and technical documentation; U.S. Government and
contractor engineering; technical and logistics support
services; and other related elements of logistical and
program support. The estimated total cost is $350 million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security of the United States by helping to improve
security of a NATO ally which is an important force for
political stability and economic progress in Europe.
[[Page S5438]]
The proposed sale will improve France's capability to meet
current and future threats by providing the necessary
sustainment, services, and spare parts to support the co-
managed fleet of French and German C-130 aircraft. France
will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and/or
services 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 will be Lockheed Martin
Corporation, Marietta, GA; Rolls Royce Cooperation,
Indianapolis, IN; General Electric Aviation System, LTD/
Dowty, Sterling, VA; Raytheon, Cedar Rapids, IA; and ViaSat,
Carlsbad, CA. There are no known offset agreements proposed
in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will require the
assignment of (1) U.S. contractor representative to France
for a duration of three years to provide technical assistance
and support to include field services, engineering tech
support and integrated logistics support management.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
TRANSMITTAL NO. 20-56
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 Rolls Royce AE 2100D3 Turboprop Engine is the
primary powerplant on the C-130J Hercules military airlift
aircraft.
2. The Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low
Volume Terminal (MIDS-LVT) is an advanced Link-16 command,
control, communications, and intelligence (C3I) system
incorporating high-capacity, jam-resistant, digital
communication links for exchange of near real-time tactical
information, including both data and voice, among air,
ground, and sea elements. MIDS-LVT is intended to support key
theater functions such as surveillance identification, air
control, weapons engagement coordination, and direction for
all services and allied forces. The system provides jamming-
resistant, wide-area communications on a Link-16 network
among MIDS and Joint Tactical Information Distribution System
(JTIDS) equipped platforms.
3. AN/AAR-60 Missile Launch Detection System (MILDS) is a
passive, true imaging sensor device that is optimized to
detect the radiation signature of a threat missile's exhaust
plume within the Ultra Violet (UV) solar blind spectral band.
Functionally, the architecture detects incoming missile
threats and indicates their direction of arrival with the
`maximum' of warning time. The system is further noted as
featuring `inherently' high-spacial resolution, `advanced'
temporal processing, a `very high' declaration rate, the
`virtual elimination' of false alarm rates, `fast' threat
detection and the automatic initiation of appropriate
countermeasures. Physically, a typical application comprises
four to six self-contained detector units each of which
provides `full' signal processing.
4. The AN/AAS-54 MTS-A Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR)
System integrates electro-optical, infrared, laser
designation, and laser illumination capabilities to provide
superior detection, ranging, and tracking. The system
provides high rate of stabilization across six axis and
flexible operating modes including integrated line-of-sight
targeting and target tracking, using centroid, area and
feature tracks. The system contains an Inertial Measurement
Unit on the gimbal to enable accurate target geolocation. The
MTS-A is capable of integration onto fixed-wing, rotary-wing,
and unmanned air vehicle platforms.
5. Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS) is a multi-platform
PC based mission planning system.
6. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is
SECRET.
7. 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.
8. A determination has been made that France 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.
9. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal have been authorized for release and export to
the France.
____________________