[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 134 (Friday, July 30, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5215-S5216]
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)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act, as 
     amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 21-52, 
     concerning the Navy's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of Israel for defense articles 
     and services estimated to cost $3.4 billion. 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. 21-52

  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 Israel
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment* $2.4 billion.
       Other $1.0 billion.
       TOTAL $3.4 billion.
       Funding Source: Foreign Military Financing (FMF)
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       Up to Eighteen (18) CH-53K Heavy Lift Helicopters.
       Up to Sixty (60) T408-GE-400 Engines (54 installed, 6 
     spares).
       Up to Thirty-six (36) Embedded Global Positioning System/
     Inertial Navigation Systems (EGI) with Selective 
     Availability/Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM).
       Non-MDE: Also included is communication equipment; GAU-21 
     .50 caliber Machine Guns; Mission Planning System; facilities 
     study, design and construction; spare and repair parts; 
     support and test equipment; publications and technical 
     documentation; aircrew and maintenance training; U.S. 
     Government and contractor engineering, technical, and 
     logistics support services; and other related elements of 
     logistics and program support.
       (iv) Military Department: Navy (IS-P-SCN)
       (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 Annex 
     Attached
       (viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: July 30, 2021
       *As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

           Israel--CH-53K Heavy Lift Helicopters with Support

       The Government of Israel has requested to buy up to 
     eighteen (18) CH-53K Heavy Lift Helicopters; up to sixty (60) 
     T408-GE-400 Engines (54 installed, 6 spares); and up to 
     thirty-six (36) Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial 
     Navigation Systems (EGI) with Selective Availability/Anti-
     Spoofing Module (SAASM). Also included is communication 
     equipment; GAU-21 .50 caliber Machine Guns; Mission Planning 
     System; facilities study, design and construction; spare and 
     repair parts; support and test equipment; publications and 
     technical documentation; aircrew and maintenance training; 
     U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and 
     logistics support services; and other related elements of 
     logistics and program support. The total estimated cost is 
     $3.4 billion.
       The United States is committed to the security of Israel, 
     and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel 
     to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense 
     capability. This proposed sale is consistent with those 
     objectives.
       The proposed sale will improve the Israeli Air Force's 
     capability to transport armored vehicles, personnel, and 
     equipment to support distributed operations deep inland from 
     a sea-based center of operations. Israel will use the 
     enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to 
     strengthen its homeland defense. Israel 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.
       The prime contractors will be Lockheed Martin Global, Inc., 
     Shelton, Connecticut; and General Electric Company, Lynn, 
     Massachusetts. There are no known offset agreements proposed 
     in connection with this potential sale. Any offset agreements 
     will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the 
     contractor(s).
       Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple 
     trips by U.S. Government and contractor representatives to 
     participate in program and technical reviews. It will also 
     require approximately four (4) contractor support 
     representatives to reside in country for a period of three 
     (3) years to support this program.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 21-52

     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 CH-53K Heavy Lift Helicopter focuses primarily on 
     the transport of armored vehicles, personnel, and equipment 
     to support distributed operations deep inland from a sea-
     based center of operations. The CH-53K

[[Page S5216]]

     carries several sensors and data links to enhance its ability 
     to operate in hostile environments and in coordination with 
     group forces. The aircraft is night vision compatible. The 
     sensitive technologies include:
       a. Communications security devices contain sensitive 
     encryption algorithms and keying material. The purchasing 
     country has previously been released and utilizes COMSEC 
     devices in accordance with set procedures and without issue.
       b. Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) (KIV-78) contains 
     embedded security devices containing sensitive encryption 
     algorithms and keying material. The purchasing country will 
     utilize COMSEC devices in accordance with set procedures.
       c. GPS PPS/SAASM/MGUE/ADAP--Global Positioning System (GPS) 
     Precise Positioning Service (PPS) provides space-based Global 
     Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals that have reliable 
     location and time information in all weather, at all times, 
     and anywhere on or near the earth when and where there is an 
     unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites. 
     The Selective Availability/Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) and 
     Modernized GPS User Equipment (MGUE) are used as military 
     embedded GPS receivers (EGRs) to provide for decryption and 
     use of the GPS PPS by the Embedded GPS/Inertial Navigation 
     System (EGI). In addition, the Advanced Digital Antenna 
     Production (ADAP) GPS anti-jam protection system provides 
     electronic protection from enemy countermeasures to disrupt 
     and jam GPS signals. The combination of the EGI and the ADAP 
     provide for robust positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) 
     capability.
       2. All the mission data, including sensitive parameters, is 
     loaded from an off board station before each flight and does 
     not stay with the aircraft after electrical power has been 
     removed. Sensitive technologies are protected as defined in 
     the program protection and anti-tamper plans.
       3. The highest level of classification of defense articles, 
     components, and services included in this potential sale is 
     SECRET.
       4. 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.
       5. A determination has been made that Israel 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.
       6. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal are authorized for release and export to the 
     Government of Israel.

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