[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 175 (Monday, November 14, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6652-S6653]
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,

                                                   Washington, DC.
     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. 22-61, 
     concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of Finland for defense articles 
     and services estimated to cost $535 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,
                                                 J. Aaron Harding,
                                  (for James A. Hursch, Director).
       Enclosures.


                         Transmittal No. 22-61

     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 Finland.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment * $512 million.
       Other $23 million.
       Total $535 million.
       Funding Source: National Funds.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       One hundred fifty (150) M30A1 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket 
     System (GMLRS) Alternative Warhead (AW) (Steel Case), or 
     M30A2 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) 
     Alternative Warhead (AW) Missile Pods with Insensitive 
     Munitions Propulsion System (IMPS), or a combination of both.
       Two hundred fifty (250) M31A1 GMLRS Unitary (GMLRS-U) 
     Warhead (Steel Case), or M31A2 GMLRS-U IMPS, or a combination 
     of both.
       Non-MDE: Also included is a Quality Assurance Team (QAT); 
     transportation services; and other related elements of 
     program and logistics support.
       (iv) Military Department: Army (FI-B-VBE).
       (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: FI-B-VBB.
       (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: November 2, 
     2022.
       * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

         Finland--Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS)

       The Government of Finland has requested to buy one hundred 
     fifty (150) M30A1 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System 
     (GMLRS) Alternative Warhead (AW) (Steel Case), or M30A2 
     Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) Alternative 
     Warhead (AW) Missile Pods with Insensitive Munitions 
     Propulsion System (IMPS), or a combination of both; and two 
     hundred fifty (250) M31A1 GMLRS Unitary (GMLRS-U) Warhead 
     (Steel Case), or M31A2 GMLRS-U IMPS, or a combination of 
     both. Also included is a Quality Assurance Team (QAT); 
     transportation services; and other related elements of 
     program and logistics support. The total estimated cost is 
     $535 million.
       This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and 
     national security of the United States by improving the 
     security of a trusted partner, which is an important force 
     for political stability and economic progress in Europe. It 
     is vital to the U.S. national interest to assist Finland in 
     developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense 
     capability.
       Finland intends to use these defense articles and services 
     to increase its national stock, bolstering the land and air 
     defense capabilities in Europe's northern flank. The 
     increased national stock is critical to Finland's defense and 
     deterrence due to the deteriorated security situation in 
     Europe. Finland 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 Lockheed Martin Corp, 
     Missile and Fire Control, Grand Prairie, TX. There are no 
     known offset agreements in connection with this potential 
     sale. There is a request pending for diversion of 50% of this 
     procurement from U.S. stock. That final decision will 
     determine which version GMLRS could potentially be procured.
       Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the 
     assignment of U.S. Government or contractor representatives 
     to Finland.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 22-61

     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 M30A2 GMLRS-Alternative Warhead (AW) is a Department 
     of Defense Cluster Munitions Policy compliant area 
     suppression munition. The AW carries a 200-pound 
     fragmentation assembly filled with high explosives which, 
     upon detonation, accelerates two layers of preformed 
     penetrators optimized for effectiveness against large area 
     and imprecisely located targets. The M30A2 is a material 
     change to the M30A1 GMLRS AW, incorporating the Insensitive 
     Munition Propulsion System (IMPS) complaint motor. The IMPS 
     motor minimizes the probability of inadvertent initiation and 
     severity of collateral damage when subjected to damage, 
     enhances survivability of launch systems and reduces risk of 
     injury to personnel. The M30A2 shares a greater than 90% 
     commonality with the M30A1. Commonalities include the Global 
     Positioning System/Precise Positioning Service (GPS/PPS) 
     aided inertial guidance and control systems, fuzing 
     mechanisms, and multi-option height of burst fuze

[[Page S6653]]

     capability. They have an identical range of 70km + and a 
     minimum range of 15km.
       2. The M31A2 GMLRS Unitary Warhead is the Army's primary 
     munition for the M142 HIMARS and M270A1/M270A2 Multiple 
     Launcher Rocket System (MLRS) Launchers. The M31A2 Unitary is 
     a material change to the M31A1 Unitary incorporating the 
     Insensitive Munition Propulsion System (IMPS) complaint 
     motor. The IMPS motor minimizes the probability of 
     inadvertent initiation and severity of collateral damage when 
     subjected to damage, enhances survivability of launch systems 
     and reduces risk of injury to personnel. The M31A2 shares the 
     same Global Positioning System/Precise Positioning Service 
     (GPS/PPS) aided inertial guidance and control systems, fuzing 
     mechanisms, and multi-mode fuzing capability. They have an 
     identical range of 70km + and a minimum range of 15km.
       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 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.
       5. A determination has been made that Finland 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.
       6. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal have been authorized for release and export to 
     the Government of Finland.

                          ____________________