[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.
____________________