[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 158 (Tuesday, September 14, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S6491]
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(h)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 21-55,
concerning the Navy's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Australia for defense
articles and services estimated to cost $350 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,
Jedidiah P. Royal,
Deputy Director.
Enclosures.
Transmittal No. 21-55
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 Australia.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment* $0 million.
Other $350 million.
Total $350 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
None.
Non-MDE: Defense services related to the future purchase of
Standard Missile 6 Block I (SM-6) and Standard Missile 2
Block IIIC (SM-2 IIIC) missiles. These services include
development; engineering, integration, and testing (EI&T);
obsolescence engineering activities required to ensure
radiness; U.S. Government and contractor engineering/
technical assistance; related studies and analysis support;
and other related elements of programmatic, technical and
logistics support.
(iv) Military Department: Navy (AT-P-AVY).
(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: August 25, 2021.
* As defined in Section (47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Australia--Defense Services Related to Future Standard Missile
Production
The Government of Australia has requested to buy defense
services related to the future purchase of Standard Missile 6
Block I (SM-6) and Standard Missile 2 Block IIIC (SM-2 IIIC)
missiles. These services include development; engineering,
integration, and testing (EI&T); obsolescence engineering
activities required to ensure readiness; U.S. Government and
contractor engineering/technical assistance, and related
studies and analysis support; technical and logistics support
services; and other related elements of program and
logistical support. The total estimated value is $350
million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security objectives of the United States. Australia
is one of our most important allies in the Western Pacific.
Australia is strategically positioned to contribute
significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the
region. It is vital to the U.S. national interest to assist
our ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready
self-defense capability.
The proposed sale will support the readiness and future
sale of vital anti-air warfare capability that can be
deployed from Australia's newest Hunter-Class Destroyers
equipped with the latest AEGIS Combat Systems. The purchase
of Standard Missile 6 Block I (SM-6) and Standard Missile 2
Block IIIC (SM-2 IIIC) missiles is currently included in
Australia's procurement roadmap and will improve their
ability to operate alongside U.S. and Allied naval forces
against the full spectrum of naval threats. Australia will
have no difficulty absorbing these defense services into its
armed forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not
alter the basic military balance in the region.
The principal U.S. contractor will be Raytheon Missiles and
Defense (RMD), Tucson, AZ. There are no known offset
agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of the proposed sale will require U.S.
Government and contractor personnel to visit Australia on a
temporary basis in conjunction with program technical
oversight and support requirements, including program and
technical reviews.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 21-55
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 proposed sale will result in the transfer of
sensitive and classified technical data related to
obsolescence engineering, integration, and test activities
required to ensure readiness for the future procurement of
Standard Missile 6 Block I (SM-6) and Standard Missile 2
Block IIIC (SM-2 IIIC) missiles. No SM-6 Blk I or SM-2 IIIC
hardware or software will be transferred under this proposed
sale. Australia currently employs SM-2 Block IIIA and IIIB on
Royal Australian Navy (RAN) AEGIS surface combatants, and has
been afforded access to similar technical information for
these delivered systems.
2. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale 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 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 the Government of
Australia 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 are authorized for release and export to the
Government of Australia.
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