[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.
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