[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 154 (Tuesday, September 8, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5439-S5440]
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)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No.
[[Page S5440]]
20-51 concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of the United Kingdom for
defense articles and services estimated to cost $46 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. 20-51
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 the United
Kingdom.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $42 million.
Other $4 million.
Total $46 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Three hundred ninety-five (395) AGM-114R2 Hellfire
Missiles.
Non-MDE: Also included is technical assistance,
publications, integration support, and other related elements
of logistics and program support.
(iv) Military Department: Army (UK-B-WUG).
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: UK-B-WSD, UK-B-WSA, UK-B-
WQU.
(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: August 26, 2020.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
Policy Justification
United Kingdom--Hellfire Missiles
The Government of the United Kingdom has requested to buy
three hundred ninety-five (395) AGM-114R2 Hellfire missiles.
Also included is technical assistance, publications,
integration support, and other related elements of logistics
and program support. The estimated total cost is $46 million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security objectives of the United States by
improving the security of a NATO Ally which is an important
force for political stability and economic progress in
Europe.
The proposed sale will improve the United Kingdom's ability
to meet current and future threats by replacing expiring and
unserviceable missiles and maintaining capability to execute
missions across a full range of military operations. The
United Kingdom will have no difficulty absorbing these
missiles 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 Lockheed Martin Corporation,
Orlando, Florida. The purchaser typically requests offsets.
Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between
the purchaser and the contractor.
Implementation of this proposed will not require the
assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor
representatives to the United Kingdom.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 20-51
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 AGM-114R2 Hellfire missile is used against heavy and
light armored targets, thin skinned vehicles, urban
structures, bunkers, caves and personnel. The missile is
Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) based, with a variable delay
fuse and improved safety and reliability. The Hellfire II
multipurpose warhead variant (AGM-114R) allows selection of
warhead effects corresponding to a specific target type. The
AGM-114R is capable of being launched from Army rotary-wing
and UAS platforms and provides the pilot increased
operational flexibility.
2. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is
SECRET.
3. 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.
4. A determination has been made that United Kingdom 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.
5. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal have been authorized for release and export to
the United Kingdom.
____________________