[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 142 (Tuesday, September 5, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3882-S3883]
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)(5)(A) of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), 
     as amended, we are forwarding Transmittal No. OJ-23. This 
     notification relates to enhancements or upgrades from the 
     level of sensitivity of technology or capability described

[[Page S3883]]

     in the Section 36(b)(l) AECA certification 14-13 dated May 8, 
     2014.
           Sincerely,
                                                  James A. Hursch,
                                                         Director.
       Enclosure.


                         Transmittal No. OJ-23

     Report of Enhancement or Upgrade of Sensitivity of Technology 
         or Capability (Sec. 36(b)(5)(A), AECA)
       (i) Purchaser: Government of Belgium.
       (ii) Sec. 36(b)(1), AECA Transmittal No.: 14-13; Date: May 
     8, 2014; Military Department: Air Force.
       (iii) Description: On May 8, 2014, Congress was notified by 
     congressional certification transmittal number 14-13 of the 
     possible sale under Section 36(b)(l) of the Arms Export 
     Control Act to upgrade its F-16A/B Block 15 Mid Life Upgrade 
     (MLU) aircraft with Operational Flight Program (OFP) tapes 
     S1, M5 and M6. Upgrade includes: 69 LN-260 Embedded Global 
     Positioning System-Inertial Navigation Systems (GPS-INS), 8 
     Remote Operated Video Enhanced Receivers IV (ROVER IV), 62 
     AN/APX-125 Transceivers (AN/APX-125 Air Identification Friend 
     of Foe Radios), 32 KIV-78s, 1 Joint Mission Planning System 
     (JMPS), 4 BRU-61/A Carriage Systems, and 43 AN/ARC-210(V) RT-
     1990(C) Ultra High Frequency/Very High Frequency (UHF/VHF) 
     Receiver Transmitters. Also included were spare and repair 
     parts, support equipment, repair and return services, 
     software development/integration, test and equipment, 
     personnel training and training equipment, publications and 
     technical data, U.S. Government contractor technical 
     services, and other related elements of logistics and program 
     support. The estimated total cost was $113 million. Major 
     Defense Equipment (MOE) constituted $7 million of this total.
       On October 6, 2016, Congress was notified by congressional 
     certification transmittal number 0U-16 of the possible sale, 
     under Section 36(b)(5)(A) of the Arms Export Control Act, of 
     3 (three) AIM 9X Block II Air-to-Air Missiles to replace 
     missiles in Belgium's inventory that were used in development 
     testing and integration for the Belgium F-16A/B Block 15 MLU 
     program. The additional equipment resulted in a net increase 
     in cost of MDE of $2.3 million, resulting in a revised MDE 
     cost of $9.3 million. The total case value increased to 
     $115.3 million.
       On November 28, 2017, Congress was notified by 
     congressional certification transmittal number 0R-17 of the 
     possible inclusion, under Section 36(b)(5)(A) of the Arms 
     Export Control Act, of additional funding to maintain 
     Belgium's current F-16 MLU support program elements. Support 
     included Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS) related 
     Operational Flight Program (OPP) software upgrade, 
     integration and test services; AN/ARC-210 integration and 
     test, flight test services; future F-16 requirements 
     analysis, contractor engineering, technical and logistics 
     support services; and other related elements of logistics 
     support. There was no increase in MDE cost. The case value 
     increased from $115.3 million to $125.4 million.
       On March 4, 2020, Congress was notified by congressional 
     certification transmittal number 0C-20 of the possible sale, 
     Under Section 36(b)(5)(A) of the Arms Export Control Act, of 
     fifty-one (51) Multifunctional Information Distribution 
     System-Low Volume Terminal Block Upgrade Two (MIDS/LVT BU2) 
     Retrofit Kits for enhanced operational capability. These MDE 
     items were not identified in the original transmittal. The 
     MDE value of MIDS/LVT BU2 retrofit kits was $4.1 million. 
     Non-MOE items included additional technical support services 
     in support of the upgrade process, training, flight testing 
     and associated cryptographic card modules. The total MDE 
     value increased to $13.4 million. The total case value 
     remained $125.4 million.
       This transmittal reports the addition of the following MOE 
     items: ten (10) Fl00-PW-100 Jet Engines (Excess Defense 
     Articles). The total cost of the new MDE articles is $1.4 
     million; the total net cost of MDE remains $13.4 million. The 
     total case value remains $125.4 million.
       (iv) Significance: This notification is being provided as 
     the additional MOE items were not enumerated in the original 
     notification. The proposed sale will improve the operational 
     readiness of Belgium'S F-16s in support of its self-defense 
     needs and those of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
     (NATO).
       (v) Justification: This proposed sale will support the 
     foreign policy and national security of the United States and 
     improve the security of a NATO ally which is an important 
     partner for political stability and economic progress in 
     Europe.
       (vi) Sensitivity of Technology: Pratt and Whitney F100-PW-
     100EEP or General Electric 110-129 engines are afterburning 
     turbofan jet engines that power the F-16.
       The highest level of classification of defense articles, 
     components, and services included in this potential sale is 
     SECRET.
       (vii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: August 2, 2023.

                          ____________________