[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 206 (Monday, December 7, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7237-S7238]
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. 20-87 concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s)
of Offer and Acceptance to the Taipei Economic and Cultural
Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) for defense articles
and services estimated to cost $280 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. 20-87
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: Taipei Economic and Cultural
Representative Office in the United States (TECRO).
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $0 million.
Other $280 million.
Total $280 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase: TECRO has
requested to buy a Field Information Communications System
(FICS), consisting of:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE): None.
Non-MDE: One hundred fifty-four (154) Communications Nodes
(CN) with S-788 Type III shelter; twenty-four (24)
Communication Relays with S-788 Type III shelter; eight (8)
Network Management Systems (NMS) with S-788 Type III shelter;
Basic Issue Items (BII); program management support;
verification testing; system technical support;
transportation; spare and repair parts; communication support
equipment; communication equipment integration; tools and
test equipment; personnel training and training equipment;
initial repair and return program; Additional Authorized List
(AAL); technical manuals; Quality Assurance Team (QAT); U.S.
Government and contractor engineering; technical and
logistics support services; contractor provided training;
Field Service Representatives (FSR); and other related
elements of logistics and program support.
(iv) Military Department: Army (TW-B-ZAW).
(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: December 7, 2020.
*As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
[[Page S7238]]
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States
(TECRO)--Field Information Communications System (FICS)
TECRO has requested to buy a Field Information
Communications System (FICS), consisting of one hundred
fifty-four (154) Communications Nodes (CN) with S-788 Type
III shelter; twenty-four (24) Communication Relays with S-788
Type Ill shelter; eight (8) Network Management Systems (NMS)
with S-788 Type III shelter; Basic Issue Items (BII); program
management support; verification testing; system technical
support; transportation; spare and repair parts;
communication support equipment; communication equipment
integration; tools and test equipment; personnel training and
training equipment; initial repair and return program;
Additional Authorized List (AAL); technical manuals; Quality
Assurance Team (QAT); U.S. Government and contractor
engineering; technical and logistics support services;
contractor provided training; Field Service Representatives
(FSR); and other related elements of logistics and program
support. The total estimated program cost is $280 million.
This proposed sale is consistent with U.S. law and policy
as expressed in Public Law 96-8.
This proposed sale serves U.S. national, economic, and
security interests by supporting the recipient's continuing
efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a
credible defensive capability. The proposed sale will help
improve the security of the recipient and assist in
maintaining political stability, military balance, economic
and progress in the region.
This proposed sale is designed to provide mobile and secure
communications. It will contribute to the recipient's goal to
modernize its military communication's capability in support
of their mission and operational needs. The recipient will
have no difficulty absorbing these systems into its armed
forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not
alter the basic military balance in the region.
The principal contractor is currently unknown due to a
pending open competition for selection. 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
permanent assignment of any additional U.S. Government or
contractor representatives to the recipient. Contractor
representative and U.S. Government support teams may be
required to travel to the country on a temporary basis.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 20-87
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 Field Information Communications System (FICS) is
made up of commercially available, non-program of record
components. The FICS system (also referred to as ``Syun
Lien'') is an area-switched communications system which is
designed to provide mobile and secure communications in a
wide range of battle situations. The FICS system provides
mobile and secure voice and data communications on an
automatic, discrete addressed, fixed-directory basis to the
military Tactical Operations Center (TOC)-level command posts
(CPs), and remote (mobile) users employing technological
improvements in radio transmissions, data networking and
packetized voice, while minimizing system footprint (power,
size, personnel and logistics train). The system supports
both mobile and wire subscribers with a means to exchange
command, control, communications, and intelligence
information in a dynamic tactical environment.
2. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is
UNCLASSIFIED.
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 recipient 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 recipient.
____________________