[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 134 (Friday, July 30, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5214-S5215]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION

  Mr. MENENDEZ. 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. 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. 21-53, 
     concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of Thailand for defense articles 
     and services estimated to cost $83.5 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. 21-53

     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 Thailand.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment* $71.5 million.
       Other $12.0 million.
       Total $83.5 million.
       Funding Source: National Funds
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       Three Hundred (300) Javelin FGM-148 Missiles.
       Non-MDE: Also included are Enhanced Producibility Basic 
     Skills Trainers; missile simulation rounds; Security 
     Assistance Management Directorate (SAMD) Technical 
     Assistance; Tactical Aviation and Ground Munitions (TAGM) 
     Project Office Technical Assistance; contractor lifecycle 
     support; spares manuals; batteries/chargers; gunner training; 
     ammunition officer training; OCONUS Modified Level 2 
     Maintenance Training; System Inspection and Check Out (SICO); 
     and other related elements of logistical and program support.
       (iv) Military Department: Army (TH-B-WHL, TH-B-WHI).
       (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 
     Articles or Defense Services Proposed to be Sold: See 
     Attached Annex
       (viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: July 30, 2021.
       *As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

                       Thailand--Javelin Missiles

       The Government of Thailand has requested to buy three 
     hundred (300) Javelin FGM-148 Missiles; and fifty (50) 
     Javelin Command Launch Units (CLU). Also included are 
     Enhanced Producibility Basic Skills Trainers; missile 
     simulation rounds; Security Assistance Management Directorate 
     (SAMD) Technical Assistance; Tactical Aviation and Ground 
     Munitions (TAGM) Project Office Technical Assistance; 
     contractor lifecycle support; spares manuals; batteries/
     chargers; gunner training; ammunition officer training; 
     OCONUS Modified Level 2 Maintenance Training; System 
     Inspection and Check Out (SICO); and other related elements 
     of logistical and program support. The total estimated cost 
     is $83.5 million.
       This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy 
     and national security objectives of the United States by 
     improving the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally in Southeast 
     Asia. The Javelin Weapon System will replace the obsolete 
     106mm Recoilless Rifles that the Royal Thai Army (RTA) 
     acquired as part of the Military Assistance Program (MAP) 
     from the Vietnam era. This proposed sale will allow the RTA 
     to modernize their light anti-tank capability and maintain 
     its current force posture, as well as enhance 
     interoperability with the U.S. during operations and training 
     exercises. Thailand is a strategic partner committed to 
     contributing to regional security.
       The proposed sale will improve Thailand's capability to 
     meet current and future threats by improving Thailand's long-
     term defense capacity to defend its sovereignty and 
     territorial integrity. Thailand 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 S5215]]

       The prime contractors will be Raytheon/Lockheed Martin 
     Javelin Joint Venture of Orlando, Florida, and Tucson, 
     Arizona. Offsets have not been included. Any offset 
     agreements will be defined in negotiations between the 
     purchaser and the contractor(s).
       Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the 
     assignment of U.S. Government or contractor representatives 
     to Thailand.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 21-53

  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 Javelin Weapon System is a medium-range, man 
     portable, shoulder-launched, fire and forget, anti-tank 
     system for infantry, scouts, and combat engineers. It may 
     also be mounted on a variety of platforms including vehicles, 
     aircraft and watercraft. The system weighs 49.5 pounds and 
     has a maximum range in excess of 2,500 meters. The system is 
     highly lethal against tanks and other systems with 
     conventional and reactive armors. The system possesses a 
     secondary capability against bunkers.
       2. Javelin's key technical feature is the use of fire-and-
     forget technology, which allows the gunner to fire and 
     immediately relocate or take cover. Additional special 
     features are the top attack and/or direct fire modes, an 
     advanced tandem warhead and imaging infrared seeker, target 
     lock-on before launch, and soft launch from enclosures or 
     covered fighting positions. The Javelin missile also has a 
     minimum smoke motor, thus decreasing its detection on the 
     battlefield.
       3. The Javelin Weapon System is comprised of two major 
     tactical components, which are a reusable Command Launch Unit 
     (CLU) and a round contained in a disposable launch tube 
     assembly. The CLU incorporates an integrated day-night sight 
     that provides a target engagement capability in adverse 
     weather and countermeasure environments. The CLU may also be 
     used in a stand-alone mode for battlefield surveillance and 
     target detection. The CLU's thermal sight is a second 
     generation Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensor. To 
     facilitate initial loading and subsequent updating of 
     software, all on-board missile software is uploaded via the 
     CLU after mating and prior to launch.
       4. The missile is autonomously guided to the target using 
     an imaging infrared seeker and adaptive correlation tracking 
     algorithms. This allows the gunner to take cover or reload 
     and engage another target after firing a missile. The missile 
     has an advanced tandem warhead and can be used in either the 
     top attack or direct fire modes (for target undercover). An 
     onboard flight computer guides the missile to the selected 
     target.
       5. The highest level of classification of defense articles, 
     components, and services included in this potential sale is 
     SECRET.
       6. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain 
     knowledge of the specific hardware or 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 or advanced 
     capabilities.
       7. A determination has been made that Thailand can provide 
     substantially the same degree of protection for the sensitive 
     technology being released as the U.S. Government. This 
     proposed sale is necessary in furtherance of the U.S. foreign 
     policy and national security objectives outlined in the 
     Policy Justification.
       8. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal are authorized for release and export to the 
     Government of Thailand.

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