[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.

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