[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 29, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5937-S5938]
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. 20-59
concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of the Netherlands for defense
articles and services estimated to cost $241 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. 20-59
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 the Netherlands.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment* $194 million.
Other $47 million.
Total $241 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Thirty-four (34) Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) Missiles.
Non-MDE: Also included are eight (8) kitted 2-pack PAC-3
MSE Missile Round Trainers (MRT), six (6) kitted 2-pack PAC-3
MSE Empty Round Trainers (ERT), four (4) PAC-3 MSE Skid Kits,
one (1) Lot of Classified PAC-3 MSE Concurrent Spare Parts
(CSPs), one (1) Lot of Unclassified PAC-3 MSE CSPs, and PAC-3
MSE repair and return processing support services, and other
related elements of logistics and program support.
(iv) Military Department: Army (NE-B-Y AF).
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: NE-B-WBV.
(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 24,
2020.
*As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
The Netherlands--Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment
Enhancement (MSE) Missiles
The Government of the Netherlands has requested to buy
thirty-four (34) Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles. Also included are
eight (8) kitted 2-pack PAC-3 MSE Missile Round Trainers
(MRT), six ( 6) kitted 2-pack PAC-3 MSE Empty Round Trainers
(ERT), four (4) PAC-3 MSE Skid Kits, one (1) Lot of
Classified PAC-3 MSE Concurrent Spare Parts (CSPs), one (I)
Lot of Unclassified PAC-3 MSE CSPs, and PAC-3 MSE repair and
return processing support services, and other related
elements of logistics and program support. The total
estimated program cost is $241 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 Northern Europe.
This proposed sale will improve the Netherlands' missile
defense capability to meet current and future enemy threats.
The Netherlands will use the enhanced capability to
strengthen its homeland defense and deter regional threats,
and provide direct support to coalition and security
cooperation efforts. The Netherlands will have no difficulty
absorbing this equipment 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, Dallas, TX.
The purchaser typically requests offsets. Any offset
agreement will be defined in negotiations between the
purchaser and the contractor(s).
Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the
assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor
representatives to the Netherlands.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 20-59
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 Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) Missile Segment
Enhancements (MSE) is a small, highly agile, kinetic kill
interceptor for defense against tactical ballistic missiles,
cruise missiles and air-breathing threats. The MSE variant of
the PAC-3 missile represents the next generation in hit-to-
kill interceptors and provides expanded battlespace against
evolving threats. The PAC-3 MSE improves upon the original
PAC-3 capability with a higher performance solid rocket
motor, modified lethality enhancer, more responsible control
surfaces, upgraded guidance software and insensitive
munitions improvements.
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 hardware and software elements, the
information could be used to develop countermeasures or
equivalent systems which might reduce system effectiveness or
be used in the development of a system with similar or
advanced capabilities.
4. A determination has been made that the Netherlands can
provide substantially the same degree of protection for the
technology being released as the U.S. Government. This
potential sale is necessary in furtherance of
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the U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives as
outlined in the Policy Justification.
5. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal have been authorized for release and export to
the Netherlands.
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