[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 22, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3066-S3067]
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

[[Page S3067]]

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. 22-27, 
     concerning the Navy's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of Australia for defense 
     articles and services estimated to cost $94 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. 22-27

  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 * $52 million.
       Other $42 million.
       Total $94 million.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       Up to fifteen (15) AGM-88E2 Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided 
     Missile (AARGM) Guidance Sections.
       Up to fifteen (15) AARGM Control Sections.
       Up to fifteen (15) High Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles 
     (HARM) Rocket Motors.
       Up to fifteen (15) HARM Warheads.
       Up to fifteen (15) HARM Control Sections.
       Non-MDE: Also included are AGM-88E2 AARGM All Up Round 
     (AUR) tactical missiles; AGM-88E2 AARGM Captive Air Training 
     Missile (CATM); HARM G-Code AUR; HARM G-Code CATM; M-Code GPS 
     receivers; containers; support and test equipment; EA-18G 
     Growler test support; spare and repair parts; software 
     (Classified and Unclassified); U.S. Government and contractor 
     engineering support; and other related elements of logistical 
     and program support.
       (iv) Military Department: Navy (AT-P-AQT).
       (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: AT-P-LFT.
       (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: June 21, 2022.
       * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

                 Australia--AGM-88E2 AARGM E2 Missiles

       The Government of Australia has requested to buy up to 
     fifteen (15) AGM-88E2 Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile 
     (AARGM) Guidance Sections; up to fifteen (15) AARGM Control 
     Sections; up to fifteen (15) High Speed Anti-Radiation 
     Missiles (HARM) Rocket Motors; up to fifteen (15) HARM 
     Warheads; and up to fifteen (15) HARM Control Sections. Also 
     included are AGM-88E2 AARGM All Up Round (AUR) tactical 
     missiles; AGM-88E2 AARGM Captive Air Training Missile (CATM); 
     HARM G-Code AUR; HARM G-Code CATM; M-Code GPS receivers; 
     containers; support and test equipment; EA-18G Growler test 
     support; spare and repair parts; software (Classified and 
     Unclassified); U.S. Government and contractor engineering 
     support; and other related elements of logistical and program 
     support. The estimated total value is $94 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. 
     The strategic location of this political and economic power 
     contributes 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 improve Australia's capability to 
     meet current and future threats by suppressing and destroying 
     land- or sea-based radar emitters associated with enemy air 
     defenses. Destruction or suppression of enemy radar denies 
     the adversary the use of air defense systems, thereby 
     improving the survivability of its tactical aircraft. 
     Australia 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 contractors will be Northrop Grumman 
     Information Systems (NGIS), Ridgecrest, CA. 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 representatives 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. 22-27

     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 AGM-88E2 Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile 
     (AARGM) weapon system is an air-to-ground missile intended 
     for Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) and Destruction 
     of Enemy Air Defenses (DEAD) missions. The AARGM E2 provides 
     suppression or destruction of enemy radar and denies the 
     enemy the use of air defense systems, thereby improving the 
     survivability of tactical aircraft. The AGM-88E2 AARGM 
     Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM) is used by pilots when 
     training for SEAD/DEAD missions.
       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 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 have been authorized for release and export to 
     the Government of Australia.

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