[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 24 (Monday, February 7, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S542-S543]
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. 21-62 
     concerning the Navy's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for defense 
     articles and services estimated to cost $23.7 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,
                                                  James A. Hursch,
                                                         Director.
       Enclosures.


                         Transmittal No. 21-62

     Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to 
         Section 36(b)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act, as 
         amended
       (i) Prospective Purchaser: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment* $16.7 million.
       Other $7.0 million.
       Total $23.7 million.
       Funding Source: National Funds.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services Under Consideration for Purchase: Foreign Military 
     Sales (FMS) case SR-P-LCO, was below congressional 
     notification threshold at $3.0 million

[[Page S543]]

     ($2.823 million in MDE) and included eleven (11) 
     Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume 
     Terminals (MIDS-LVT). The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has 
     requested the case be amended to include thirty-one (31) 
     MIDS-LVT Block Upgrade 2 (BU2) terminals. This amendment will 
     push the current case above the MDE notification threshold 
     and thus requires notification of the entire case.
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       Eleven (11) Multifunctional Information Distribution 
     System-Low Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT) Block Upgrade 1 (BUI).
       Thirty-one (31) Multifunctional Information Distribution 
     System-Low Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT) Block Upgrade 2 (BU2).
       Non-MDE: Also included is communications equipment; support 
     equipment; engineering and technical support and assistance; 
     training; and other related elements of logistics and program 
     support.
       (iii) Military Department: Navy (SR-P-LCO).
       (iv) Prior Related Cases, if any: None.
       (v) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, Offered, or Agreed 
     to be Paid: None.
       (vi) Sensitivity of Technology Contained in the Defense 
     Article or Defense Services Proposed to be Sold: See Attached 
     Annex.
       (vii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: February 3, 2022.
       * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

   Saudi Arabia--Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low 
                      Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT)

       The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has requested to buy thirty-one 
     (31) Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low 
     Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT) Block Upgrade 2 (BU2), that will 
     be added to a previously implemented case. The original FMS 
     case, valued at $3.0 million, included eleven (11) 
     Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume 
     Terminals (MIDS-LVT) Block Upgrade 1 (BUI). Therefore, this 
     notification is for a total or eleven (11) Multifunctional 
     Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals (MIDS-
     LVT) Block Upgrade 1 (BUI) and thirty-one (31) 
     Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume 
     Terminals (MIDS-LVT) Block Upgrade 2 (BU2). Also included is 
     communications equipment; support equipment; engineering and 
     technical support and assistance; training; and other related 
     elements of logistics and program support. The total 
     estimated cost is $23.7 million.
       This proposed sale will support U.S. foreign policy and 
     national security objectives by helping to improve the 
     security of a friendly country that continues to be an 
     important force for political stability and economic growth 
     in the Middle East.
       The proposed sale will provide the Saudi armed forces with 
     the equipment, training, and follow-on support necessary to 
     protect Saudi Arabia, and the region, from the destabilizing 
     effects of terrorism, countering Iranian influence, and other 
     threats. The proposed MIDS-LVT (BU2) terminals will be 
     installed on Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) 
     platforms, while the previously provided MIDS-LVT (BUI) 
     terminals were installed on PATRIOT. Saudi Arabia 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 principal contractor is undetermined as there will a 
     competitive contractual award process after LOA 
     implementation. There are no known offset agreements proposed 
     in connection with this potential sale.
       Implementation of this sale will not require the assignment 
     of any U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Saudi 
     Arabia.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.

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