[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.
____________________