[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 117 (Monday, July 10, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2278-S2279]
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. 23-41,
concerning the Air Force's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Norway for defense articles
and services estimated to cost $293 million. We will issue a
news release to notify the public of this proposed sale upon
delivery of this letter to your office.
Sincerely,
James A. Hursch,
Director.
Enclosures.
Transmittal No. 23-41
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 Norway.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment* $248 million.
Other $45 million.
Total $293 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services Under Consideration for Purchase: Foreign Military
Sales (FMS) case NO-D-AAG was below the congressional
notification threshold at $18.9 million ($7.2 million in
Major Defense Equipment (MDE)), and included twenty (20
Guided Bomb Unit (GBU)-53/B Small Diameter Bombs-Increment II
(SDB-II) All-Up-Rounds
[[Page S2279]]
(AURs). The Government of Norway has requested the case be
amended to include up to an additional five hundred eighty
(580) GBU-53/B SDB-II AURs. This amendment will increase the
MDE and total case values above notification thresholds and
thus requires notification of the entire case.
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Up to Six Hundred (600) GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bombs-
Increment II (SDB-II) All-Up-Rounds (AURs).
Non-MDE: Also included are SDB-II Weapon Load Crew Trainers
(WLCT) and Practical Explosive Ordnance Disposal Trainers
(PEDT); munitions support and support equipment; unclassified
software delivery and support; spare parts, consumables, and
accessories; repair and return support; modifications and
maintenance support; transportation support; unclassified
publications and technical documentation; personnel training
equipment and support; studies and surveys; U.S. Government
and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support
services; and other related elements of logistical and
program support.
(iv) Military Department: Air Force (NO-D-AAG).
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: None.
(vi) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, Offered, or Agreed
to be Paid: None known at this time.
(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 28, 2023.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Norway--Small Diameter Bomb II
The Government of Norway has requested to buy up to five
hundred eighty (580) GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bombs-Increment
II (SDB-II) All-Up-Rounds (AURs) that will be added to a
previously implemented case. The original foreign military
sales (FMS) case, valued at $18.9 mi1lion, included twenty
(20) GBU-53/B, SDB-II AURs. This amendment will increase the
MDE and total case values above notification thresholds and
thus requires notification of the entire case. Therefore,
this notification is for a total of up to six hundred (600)
GBU-53/B, SDB-II AURs. Also included are SDB-II Weapon Load
Crew Trainers (WLCT) and Practical Explosive Ordnance
Disposal Trainers (PEDT); munitions support and support
equipment; unclassified software delivery and support; spare
parts, consumables, and accessories; repair and return
support; modifications and maintenance support;
transportation support; unclassified publications and
technical documentation; personnel training equipment and
support; studies and surveys; U.S. Government and contractor
engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and
other related elements of logistical and program support. The
total estimated cost is $293 million.
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 meet
current and future threats by bolstering operational
readiness while enhancing air and defense capabilities with a
modernized weapon to support the new F-35A fleet. Norway will
have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and services 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 Raytheon Missile Systems,
Tucson, AZ. There are no known offset agreements proposed in
connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the
assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor
representatives to Norway.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 23-41
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 GBU-53 Small Diameter Bomb-Increment II (SDB-II)
StormBreaker All-Up Round (AUR) is a 250-pound class
precision-guided, semiautonomous, conventional, air-to-ground
munition used to defeat moving targets through adverse
weather from standoff range. The SDB-II has deployable wings
and fins and uses Global Positioning System/Inertial
Navigation System (GPS/INS) guidance, network-enabled
datalink (Link-16 and Ultra High Frequency), and a multi-mode
seeker (millimeter wave radar, imaging infrared, semi-active
laser) to autonomously search, acquire, track, and defeat a
variety of moving or stationary targets, at standoff range or
close in, including a variety of attack modes. The SDB-II
employs a multi-effects warhead (blast, fragmentation, and
shaped-charge) for maximum lethality against armored and soft
targets. The SDB-II weapon system consists of the tactical
AUR weapon, a 4-place common carriage system, and mission
planning system munitions application program (MAP).
a. The SDB-II Weapon Load Crew Trainer (WLCT) is a mass
mockup of the tactical AUR used for load crew and maintenance
training. It does not contain energetics, a live fuze, any
sensitive components, or hazardous material. It is not flight
certified.
b. The SDB-II Practical Explosive Ordnance Disposal Trainer
(PEST) is an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) training unit
with sections and internal subassemblies which are identical
to, or correlate to, the external hardware, sections, and
internal subassemblies of the tactical AUR. The PEST does not
contain energetics, a live fuze, any sensitive components, or
hazardous material. It is not flight certified.
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.
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