[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 23, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S813]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Mr. MENENDEZ. 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. Robert Menendez,
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. 21-16
concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Finland for defense articles
and services estimated to cost $91.2 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. 21-16
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 Finland.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $81.0 million.
Other $10.2 million.
Total $91.2 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Twenty-Five (25) M30A2 Extended Range Guided Multiple
Launch Rocket Systems--Alternative Warhead (ER GMLRS-AW)
Pods.
Ten (10) M31A2 Extended Range Guided Multiple Launch Rocket
Systems--Unitary (ER GMLRS-U) Pods.
Non-MDE: Also included is an ER GMLRS Materiel Release
Package; Stockpile Reliability Program (SRP) support; Quality
Assurance Testing (QAT) services; technical publications;
U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics
support services; and other related elements of program and
logistics support.
(iv) Military Department: Army (FI-B-VBB).
(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: February 17,
2021.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Finland--Extended Range Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System
The Government of Finland has requested to buy twenty-five
(25) M30A2 Extended Range Guided Multiple Launch Rocket
Systems--Alternative Warhead (ER GMLRS-AW) Pods; and ten (10)
M31A2 Extended Range Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems--
Unitary (ER GMLRS-U) Pods. Also included is an ER GMLRS
Materiel Release Package; Stockpile Reliability Program (SRP)
support; Quality Assurance Testing (QAT) services; technical
publications; U.S. Government and contractor technical and
logistics support services; and other related element of
program and logistics support. The total estimated cost is
$91.2 million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security of the United States by improving the
security of a trusted partner which is an important force for
political stability and economic progress in Europe. It is
vital to the U.S. national interest to assist Finland in
developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense
capability.
Finland intends to use these defense articles and services
to modernize its armed forces. Finland intends to expand its
existing army architecture to counter potential threats. This
will contribute to the Finland military's goal to upgrade its
capability while enhancing interoperability between Finland,
the United States, and other allies. Finland will have no
difficulty absorbing these missiles 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 will be Lockheed Martin
Corporation, Missile and Fire Control, Grand Prairie, TX.
There are no known offsets associated with this potential
sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the
assignment of U.S. Government or contractor representatives
to Finland.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 21-16
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to
Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended
(vii) Sensitivity of Technology:
1. The ER GMLRS provides a persistent, responsive, all-
weather, rapidly deployed, long range, surface-to-surface,
area- and point-precision strike capability. The AW variant
(XM403, also referred to as M30A2) carries a 200-pound
fragmentation assembly filled with high explosives which,
upon detonation, accelerates two layers of preformed
penetrators optimized for effectiveness against large area
and imprecisely located targets. The Unitary variant (XM404,
also referred to as M31A2) is a 200-pound class unitary with
a steel blast-fragmentation case, designed for low collateral
damage against point targets. The ER GMLRS maintains the
accuracy and effectiveness demonstrated by the baseline GMLRS
out to a maximum range of 150 km (double of GMLRS capability)
while also including a new Height Of Burst (HOB) capability.
2. The highest level of classified information associated
with the sale of this equipment is SECRET.
3. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain
knowledge of the specific hardware and software elements, the
information could be used to develop countermeasures or
equivalent systems that might reduce weapon system
effectiveness or be used in the development of a system with
similar or advanced capabilities.
4. A determination has been made that Finland 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 Government of Finland.
____________________