[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 192 (Tuesday, November 10, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6641-S6642]
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)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 20-25
concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Guyana for defense articles
and services estimated to cost $256 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. 20-25
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 Guyana.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment* $0 million.
Other $256 million.
Total $256 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE): None.
Non-MDE: Two (2) Bell 412EPi Light Utility Helicopters with
customer-unique modifications; two (2) Bell 429 Light Utility
Helicopters with customer-unique modifications; two (2)
WESCAM MX-10 cameras; mission equipment; contractor-provided
pilot and maintainer training; particular ground support
equipment; spares; publications; integrated product support;
technical assistance; transportation; Repair and Return; and
other related elements of logistics and program support.
(iv) Military Department: Army (GU-B-UAH).
(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: October 30, 2020.
*As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Guyana--Bell 412EPi and 429 Helicopters
The Government of Guyana has requested to buy two (2) Bell
412EPi Light Utility Helicopters with customer-unique
modifications; two (2) Bell 429 Light Utility Helicopters
with customer-unique modifications; two (2) WESCAM MX-10
cameras; mission equipment; contractor-provided pilot and
maintainer training; particular ground support equipment;
spares; publications; integrated product support; technical
assistance; transportation; Repair and Return; and other
related elements of logistics and program support. The total
estimated program cost is $256 million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security of the United States by helping to improve
security of Guyana, which is expected to grow to be an
important force for political stability and economic progress
in South America.
The proposed sale of the Bell 412EPi and 429 helicopters
will improve Guyana's capability to meet current and future
threats. Guyana will use the enhanced capability to
strengthen its homeland defense; conduct maritime
surveillance, patrol, and interdiction; counter narcotic
trafficking and transnational criminal organizations; deter
regional threats; and support coalition partners overseas.
Guyana 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.
[[Page S6642]]
The principal contractor will be Bell Helicopter Textron
Incorporated (BHTI), Piney Flats, TN. The purchaser typically
requests offsets. There are no known offset agreements
proposed in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this sale will not require the assignment
of any additional U.S. Government or contractor
representatives to Guyana.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 20-25
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 Bell 412EPi is a twin-engine, 1 + 14 passenger
capacity, newly manufactured utility helicopter with IFR
Medium Twin (3-Axis) with Bell BASIX-PRO Integrated Avionics
System and Pratt & Whitney PT6T-9 Engine TwinPac with
Electronic Engine Controls (EEC/FADEC). The Bell BASIX-PRO
Integrated Avionics Systems includes MultiFunctional
Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) 6'' X 8'' LED PFD/
MFD Displays (EICAS, PIS, SYS Diag., HSI, VOR, GPS, ADF,
Speed, Alt, TAS, Video FDM)--Pilot and Copilot (4 per ship),
IFR FAA Kit, AFCS/Dual Digital Flight Director Nav Coupler
(3-Axis) with Stability Augmentation System (SAS), Attitude
Retention (ATT), NAVl/COMl/VHF/GPSl/VOR/ILS/LOC/GS/WAAS
Garmin GTN-750, 16 Watt with Regional Map Database, Radar
Altimeter #1 (KRA-405B), Distance Measuring Equipment, DME
(KDM-706A), Automatic Direction Finder (ADF)--(KDF-806), Air
Data Computer (ADC), Altitude & Heading Reference System
(LCR-100). The Bell 412EPi is in the Search and Rescue (SAR)
with Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) configuration.
The SAR system is composed of a navigation computer with SAR
modes, and AFCS that provides coupled SAR functions, hoist
operator control, a hover speed reference system, and two
radio altimeters. This aircraft (before modification) is
generally offered to the public with no special restrictions.
2. The Bell 429 is a light twin, newly manufactured
helicopter. The Bell 429 features two/three multi-function
displays, dual digital 3-axis autopilot and an integrated
electronic data recorder provides enhanced situational
awareness and post flight analysis. The Bell 429 standard
configuration consists of Dual Pilot Control Provisions,
Radar Altimeter (Honeywell KRA 4058, GPS GTN 750 HT A WS
upgrade), Traffic Avoidance System--TAS605 with Mutable Audio
(Avidyne), NAV/COM/GPS--GTN-750 ChartView Upgrade, Weather
Radar (Honeywell ART/RDR-2000) Original Radome (Displayed on
GTN-750). This aircraft (before modification) is generally
offered to the public with no special restrictions.
3. The U.S. Government will provide modified aircraft that
are globally self-deployable and appropriately equipped to be
able to meet the communications, navigation, surveillance and
Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) requirements for
unrestricted transit through domestic and International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) civilian-controlled and
military-controlled airspace.
4. The WESCAM MX-10 is a small Multi-Sensor, Multi-Spectral
Imaging System with Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and
Embedded with Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard
Positioning Service (SPS). The WESCAM MX-10 camera system
contains a HG-l900BA50 IMU manufactured by Honeywell in the
United States. WESCAM MX-10 is embedded with GPS SPS. SPS is
a three-dimensional position and time determination
capability provided to a user equipped with a minimum
capability GPS SPS receiver in accordance with GPS national
policy. The HG-1900BA50 includes Micro-Electro Mechanical
Systems (MEMS) gyros and quartz resonating beam
accelerometers and is an MTCR Category II controlled item,
specifically 9.A.6..
5. 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.
6. A determination has been made that Guyana 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 the U.S.
foreign policy and national security objectives as outlined
in the Policy Justification.
7. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal are authorized for release and export to the
Government of Guyana.
____________________