Congressional Record, Volume 166 Issue 169 (Tuesday, September 29, 2020)

[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 29, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5938-S5940]
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 Reord, 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)(l) of

[[Page S5939]]

the Arms Export Control Act, as amended, we are forwarding
herewith Transmittal No. 20-35 concerning the Air Force's
proposed Letter(s) of Offer and Acceptance to the Government
of Switzerland for defense articles and services estimated to
cost $6.58 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,
Heidi H. Grant,
Director.
Enclosures.

Transmittal No. 20-35

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 Switzerland
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment* $4.08 billion.
Other $2.50 billion.
TOTAL $6.58 billion.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Forty (40) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take Off
and Landing (CTOL) Aircraft.
Forty-six (46) Pratt & Whitney F-135 Engines (40 installed
and 6 spares).
Forty (40) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II+ (Plus) Tactical
Missiles.
Fifty (50) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II Captive Air Training
Missiles (CATMs).
Six (6) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II Special Air Training
Missiles (NATMS).
Four (4) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II Tactical Guidance
Units.
Ten (10) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II CATM Guidance Units.
Eighteen (18) KMU-572 JDAM Guidance Kits for GBU-54.
Twelve (12) Bomb MK-82 500LB, General Purpose.
Twelve (12) Bomb MK-82, Inert.
Twelve (12) GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) All-Up
Round (AUR).
Eight (8) GBU-53/B SDB II Guided Test Vehicle (GTV).
Non-MDE: Also included are Electronic Warfare Systems;
Command, Control, Communications, Computer and Intelligence/
Communications, Navigational, and Identification (C4I/CNI);
Autonomic Logistics Global Support System (ALGS); Autonomic
Logistics Information System (ALIS); Full Mission Trainer;
Weapons Employment Capability and other Subsystems, Features,
and Capabilities; F-35 unique infrared flares; reprogramming
center access; F-35 Performance Based Logistics; software
development/integration; flight test instrumentation;
aircraft ferry and tanker support; Detector Laser DSU-38A/B,
Detector Laser DSU-38A(D-2)/B, FMU-139D/B Fuze, KMU-572(D-2)/
B Trainer (JDAM), 40 inch Wing Release Lanyard; GBU-53/B SDB
II Weapon Load Crew Trainers (WLCT); Cartridge, 25 mm PGU-23/
U; weapons containers; aircraft and munitions support and
test equipment; communications equipment; spares and repair
parts; repair and return support; personnel training and
training equipment; publications and technical documents;
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 (SZ-D-SAA; SZ-D-YAD),
Navy (SZ-P-LAY).
(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: September 30,
2020.
*As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

Switzerland--F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft and Weapons

The Government of Switzerland requested to buy up to forty
(40) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take Off and
Landing (CTOL) aircraft; forty-six (46) Pratt & Whitney F-135
engines; forty (40) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II+ (Plus)
Tactical Missiles; fifty (50) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II
Captive Air Training Missiles (CATMs); six (6) Sidewinder
AIM-9X Block II Special Air Training Missiles (NATMS); four
(4) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II Tactical Guidance Units; ten
(10) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II CATM Guidance Units; eighteen
(18) KMU-572 JDAM Guidance Kits for GBU-54; twelve (12) Bomb
MK-82 500LB, General Purpose; twelve (12) Bomb MK-82, Inert;
twelve (12) GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) All-Up
Round (AUR); and eight (8) GBU-53/B SDB II Guided Test
Vehicle (GTV). Also included are Electronic Warfare Systems;
Command, Control, Communications, Computer and Intelligence/
Communications, Navigational, and Identification (C4I/CNI);
Autonomic Logistics Global Support System (ALGS); Autonomic
Logistics Information System (ALIS); Full Mission Trainer;
Weapons Employment Capability and other Subsystems, Features,
and Capabilities; F-35 unique infrared flares; reprogramming
center access; F-35 Performance Based Logistics; software
development/integration; flight test instrumentation;
aircraft ferry and tanker support; Detector Laser DSU-38A/B,
Detector Laser DSU-38A(D-2)/B, FMU-139D/B Fuze, KMU-572(D-2)/
B Trainer (JDAM), 40 inch Wing Release Lanyard; GBU-53/B SDB
II Weapon Load Crew Trainers (WLCT); Cartridge, 25 mm PGU-23/
U; weapons containers; aircraft and munitions support and
test equipment; communications equipment; spares and repair
parts; repair and return support; personnel training and
training equipment; publications and technical documents;
U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and
logistics support services; and other related elements of
logistical and program support. The total estimated cost is
$6.58 billion.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security of the United States by helping to improve
the security of a friendly European nation that continues to
be an important force for political stability and economic
progress in Europe.
This proposed sale of F-35s and associated missiles and
munitions will provide the Government of Switzerland with a
credible defense capability to deter aggression in the
region. The proposed sale will also replace Switzerland's
retiring F/A-18s and enhance its air-to-air and air-to-ground
self-defense capability. Switzerland 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 principal contractors will be Lockheed Martin
Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth, TX; Pratt & Whitney Military
Engines, East Hartford, CT; The Boeing Company, St. Charles,
MO and Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Tucson, AZ. This
proposal is being offered in the context of a competition.
The purchaser typically requests offsets. Any offset
agreement will be defined in negotiations between the
purchaser and the contractor.
Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple
trips to Switzerland involving U.S. Government and contractor
representatives for technical reviews/support, program
management and training over the life of the program. U.S.
contractor representatives will be required in Switzerland to
conduct Contractor Engineering Technical Services (CETS) and
Autonomic Logistics and Global Support (ALGS).
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.

Transmittal No. 20-35

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. It contains
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 are also included in
operational flight and maintenance trainers. Sensitive and
classified elements of the F-35A CTOL 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.
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 (FUR)
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

[[Page S5940]]

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 maintenance 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 (PLSS), Off-Board Mission Support
(OMS) System, and publications/maintenance manuals. The HMDS
provides a fully sunlight readable, biocular 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. The PLSS 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 with a means to update F-35 EW
databases.
3. The AIM-9X Block II and Block II+ (Plus) SIDEWINDER
Missile represents a substantial increase in missile
acquisition and kinematics performance over the AIM-9M and
replaces the AIM-9X Block I Missile configuration. The
missile includes a high off-boresight seeker, enhanced
countermeasure rejection capability, low drag/high angle of
attack airframe and the ability to integrate with a helmet
mounted cueing system. The software algorithms are the most
sensitive portion of the AIM-9X missile. The software
continues to be modified via a preplanned product improvement
(P³I) program to improve counter-countermeasure
capabilities. Purchase will include AIM-9X Guidance Sections.
4. The GBU-54 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (LJDAM) is
a 500 pound JDAM which incorporates all the capabilities of
the JDAM guidance tail kit and adds a precision laser
guidance set. The LJDAM gives the weapon system an optional
semi-active laser guidance in addition to the Inertial
Navigation System/Global Positioning System (INS/GPS)
guidance. This provides the optional capability to strike
moving targets. The GBU-54 consists of a laser guidance set,
KMU-572 warhead specific tail kit, and MK-82 bomb body.
5. The GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb Increment II (SDB II)
is a 250-lb class precisionguided, semi-autonomous,
conventional, air-to-ground munition used to defeat moving
targets through adverse weather from standoff range. The SDB
II has deployable wings and fins and uses GPS/INS guidance,
network-enabled datalink (Link-16 and UHF), and a multi-mode
seeker (millimeter wave radar, imaging infrared) to
autonomously search, acquire, track, and defeat targets. The
SDB II employs a multi-effects warhead (Blast, Fragmentation,
and Shaped-Charge) for maximum lethality against armored and
soft targets. The SDB II weapon system consists of the AUR
weapon; a 4-place common carriage system; and mission
planning system application.
a. SDB II Guided Test Vehicles (GTV) is an SDB II
configuration used for land or sea range-based testing of the
SDB II weapon system. The GTV has common flight
characteristics of an SDB II AUR, but in place of the multi-
effects warhead is a Flight Termination, Tracking, and
Telemetry (FTTT) subassembly that mirrors the AUR
multieffects warhead's size and mass properties, but provides
safe flight termination, free flight tracking and telemetry
of encrypted data from the GTV to the data receivers. The SDB
II GTV can have either inert or live fuses. All other flight
control, guidance, data-link, and seeker functions are
representative of the SDB II AUR.
b. SDB II Captive Carry Reliability Test (CCRT) vehicles
are an SDB II configuration primarily used for reliability
data collection during carriage. The CCRT has common
characteristics of an SDB II AUR but with an inert warhead
and fuze. The CCRT has an inert mass in place of the warhead
that mimics the warhead's mass properties. The CCRT is a
flight capable representative of the SDB II AUR but is not
approved for release from any aircraft. Since all other
flight control, guidance, data-link, and seeker functions are
representative of the SDB II AUR, this configuration could be
used for any purpose where an inert round without telemetry
or termination capability would be useful.
6. This sale will involve the release of sensitive and/or
classified technology. The highest level of classification of
information 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 advanced capabilities.
8. A determination has been made that Switzerland 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 are authorized for release and export to the
Government of Switzerland.

____________________