[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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