[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 71 (Thursday, April 27, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1411-S1412]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam 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. 23-32, 
     concerning the Navy's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of Norway for defense articles 
     and services estimated to cost $1 billion. We will issue a 
     news release to notify the public of this proposed sale upon 
     delivery of this letter to your office.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Mike Miller,
                                  (for James A. Hursch, Director).
       Enclosures.


                         Transmittal No. 23-32

     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: Government of Norway.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment * $.550 billion.
       Other $.450 billion.
       Total $1.000 billion.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       Six (6) MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopters.
       Fifteen (15) T-700-GE-401C Engines (12 installed, 3 
     spares).
       Nine (9) Link 16 Multifunctional Information Distribution 
     Systems Joint Tactical

[[Page S1412]]

     Radio Systems (MIDS JTRS) (6 installed, 3 spares).
       Eighteen (18) Embedded Global Positioning System/Precise 
     Positioning Service (GPS/PPS)/Inertial Navigation Systems 
     (EGI) with Selective Availability/Anti-Spoofing Module 
     (SAASM) (12 installed, 6 spares).
       Six (6) Airborne Low Frequency Sonars (ALFS) (aircraft 
     provisions only).
       Non-MDE: Also included are M514 impulse cartridge/cartridge 
     actuated devices; MJ20 cartridge actuated thruster/cartridge 
     actuated devices; WB53 fire extinguisher cartridge/cartridge 
     actuated devices; CCU-136A/A impulse cartridge; GAU-21 crew-
     served guns (including pintle and laser pointer); AN/ARC-210 
     RT-2036 radios with Communications Security (COMSEC); AN/AAR-
     47 missile warning systems; AN/APX-123 Identification Friend 
     or Foe (IFF) transponders; AN/ALE-47 dispensers; Electronic 
     Countermeasures; Advanced Data Transfer Systems (ADTS); AN/
     AAS-44C(V) Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems; Identification 
     Friend or Foe Mode 4/5 Cryptographic Applique, KIV-78; Joint 
     Mission Planning Systems (JMPS); AN/ARQ-59 Hawklink radio 
     terminals; Training Simulators/Operational Machine Interface 
     Assistants (ATS/OMIA); Aviation Maintenance Weapons Loading 
     Trainer (AMWLT); Tactical Operational Flight Trainer (TOFT); 
     AN/ALQ-210 Electronic Support Measures (ESM) systems; APS-
     153(V) multi-mode radars; spare engine containers; spare and 
     repair parts; support and test equipment; communications 
     equipment; ferry support; publications and technical 
     documentation; personnel training and training equipment; 
     U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and 
     logistics support services; obsolescence engineering, 
     integration, and test activities required to ensure readiness 
     for the production of the Norwegian MH-60R helicopters; and 
     other related elements of logistics and program support.
       (iv) Military Department: Navy (NO-P-SAR).
       (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: NO-P-GFF.
       (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: April 26, 2023.
       * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

   Norway--Defense Articles and Services Related to the MH-60R Multi-
                          Mission Helicopters

       The Government of Norway has requested to buy six (6) MH-
     60R Multi-Mission Helicopters; fifteen (15) T-700-GE-401C 
     engines (12 installed, 3 spares); nine (9) Link 16 
     Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems Joint 
     Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS JTRS) (6 installed, 3 spares); 
     eighteen (18) Embedded Global Positioning System/Precise 
     Positioning Service (GPS/PPS)/Inertial Navigation Systems 
     (EGI) with Selective Availability/Anti-Spoofing Module 
     (SAASM) (12 installed, 6 spares); and six (6) Airborne Low 
     Frequency Sonars (ALFS) (aircraft provisions only). Also 
     included are M514 impulse cartridge/cartridge actuated 
     devices; MJ20 cartridge actuated thruster/cartridge actuated 
     devices; WB53 fire extinguisher cartridge/cartridge actuated 
     devices; CCU-136A/A impulse cartridges; GAU-21 crew served 
     guns (including pintle and laser pointer); AN/ARC-210 RT-2036 
     radios with Communications Security (COMSEC); AN/AAR-47 
     missile warning systems; AN/APX-123 Identification Friend or 
     Foe (IFF) transponders; AN/ALE-47 dispensers; Electronic 
     Countermeasures; Advanced Data Transfer Systems (ADTS); AN/
     AAS-44C(V) Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems; Identification 
     Friend or Foe Mode 4/5 Cryptographic Applique, KIV-78; Joint 
     Mission Planning Systems (JMPS); AN/ARQ-59 Hawklink radio 
     terminals; Training Simulators/Operational Machine Interface 
     Assistants (ATS/OMIA); Aviation Maintenance Weapons Loading 
     Trainer (AMWLT); Tactical Operational Flight Trainer (TOFT); 
     AN/ALQ-210 Electronic Support Measures (ESM) systems; APS-
     153(V) multi-mode radars; spare engine containers; spare and 
     repair parts; support and test equipment; communications 
     equipment; ferry support; publications and technical 
     documentation; personnel training and training equipment; 
     U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and 
     logistics support services; obsolescence engineering, 
     integration, and test activities required to ensure readiness 
     for the production of the Norwegian MH-60R helicopters; and 
     other related elements of logistics and program support. The 
     total estimated program cost is $1 billion.
       This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals 
     and national security objectives of the United States by 
     improving the security of a NATO Ally that is an important 
     force for political stability and economic progress in 
     Europe.
       The proposed sale will improve Norway's capability to 
     perform search and rescue, anti-surface, and anti-submarine 
     warfare missions along with the ability to perform secondary 
     missions, including vertical replenishment and communications 
     relay. Norway will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent 
     to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense. 
     Norway will have no difficulty absorbing these helicopters 
     and support 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 will be Lockheed Martin Rotary and 
     Mission Systems, Owego, New York. The purchaser has requested 
     offsets. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations 
     between the purchaser and the contractor.
       Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple 
     trips by U.S. Government representatives and the assignment 
     of contractor representatives to Norway on an intermittent 
     basis over the life of the case to support delivery and 
     integration of items and to provide supply support 
     management, inventory control, and equipment familiarization. 
     In addition, there will be up to four (4) contractor 
     representatives in Norway full-time for the duration of the 
     case.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 23-32

     Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to 
         Section 36(b)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act

                           Annex Item No. vii

       (vii) Sensitivity of Technology:
       1. The MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopter focuses primarily on 
     anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) 
     missions. The MH-60R also performs search and rescue, naval 
     gunfire support, surveillance, communications relay, 
     logistics support, personnel transfer, and vertical 
     replenishment missions. The MH-60R carries several sensors 
     and data links to enhance its ability to work in a network 
     centric battle group and as an extension of its home ship or 
     main operating base. The mission equipment subsystem consists 
     of the following sensors and subsystems: an acoustics system 
     capable of, but not configured for, future dipping sonar and 
     sonobuoy operations, Multi-Mode Radar (MMR) with integral 
     Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogator, radios with 
     COMSEC, Electronic Support Measures (ESM), Integrated Self-
     Defense (ISD), and Multi-Spectral Targeting System (MTS). The 
     aircraft processes sensor data onboard, and transmits data 
     via Common Data Link (CDL) (also referred to as Hawklink). 
     The aircraft is night vision compatible. It can carry AGM-
     114A/B/K/N Hellfire missiles, as well as MK 46/54 torpedoes 
     to engage surface and sub-surface targets. The MH-60R Multi-
     Mission Helicopter is capable of carrying the Airborne Low 
     Frequency Sonars (ALFS), GAU-61 Digital Rocket Launchers, 
     Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS), GAU-21 crew-
     served guns, and M240 crew-served guns.
       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 Norway 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 Norway.

                          ____________________