[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 142 (Tuesday, September 5, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3883-S3884]
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. 23-66, 
     concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria for 
     defense articles and services estimated to cost $1.5 billion. 
     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. 23-66

     Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to 
         Section 36(6)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as 
         amended
       (i) Prospective Purchaser: Government of the Republic of 
     Bulgaria.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment* $1.0 billion.
       Other $.5 billion.
       Total $1.5 billion.
       Funding Source: National Funds
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase: The Government of 
     the Republic of Bulgaria has requested to buy one hundred 
     eighty-three (183) Stryker Family of Vehicles, including:
       Major Defense Equipment (MOE):
       Ninety (90) XM1296 Infantry Carrier Vehicles--Dragoon 
     (ICVD).
       Seventeen (l7) M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicles (ICV)
       Nine (9) M1132 Engineer Squad Vehicles (ESV)
       Thirty-three (33) M1130 Command Vehicles (CV)
       Twenty-four (24) M1133 Medical Evacuation Vehicles (MEV)
       Ten (10) M1135 Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Reconnaissance 
     Vehicles (NBCRV).
       Five (5) Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) 
     Light Equipment Transport (LET).
       Five (5) Modular Catastrophic Recovery System (MCRS).
       Two (2) M1120A4 HEMTT Load Handling System.
       Five (5) M984A4 Wrecker HEMTT.
       One hundred seven (107) M240 Coaxial 7.62mm Machine Guns.
       Non-MDE: The following are also included: support service 
     equipment; M-153A4 Common Remote Operated Weapons Stations 
     (CROWS); Forward Repair Systems (FRS); M2A1. 50 caliber 
     machine guns; M6 smoke grenade launchers and associated 
     spares; Harris radios; AN/VAS-5 Driver's Vision Enhancer 
     (DVE); DYE-Wide; communications equipment; RS6 (LW30) Remote 
     Weapon Systems; TACFLIR 280 HDEP systems; Ranger R20SS Radar; 
     ROVER6Si transceivers; spare parts; Basic Issue Items (BII), 
     Components of End Items (COEI), and Additional Authorized 
     List (AAL); Special Tools and Test Equipment (STTE); 
     technical manuals; OCONUS Deprocessing Service; OCONUS 
     contractor provided training and Field Service 
     Representatives (FSR); component assembly incountry; and 
     other related elements of logistics and program support.
       (iv) Military Department: Army (BU-B-UCP, BU-B-UCS).
       (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: None.
       (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: September 1, 
     2023.
       *As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          policy justification

                       Bulgaria--Stryker Vehicles

       The Government of the Republic of Bulgaria has requested to 
     buy one hundred eighty-three (183) Stryker Family of 
     Vehicles. The proposed sale would consist of: ninety (90) 
     XM1296 Infantry Carrier Vehicles--Dragoon (ICVD); seventeen 
     (17) M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicles (ICV); nine (9) M1132 
     Engineer Squad Vehicles (ESV); thirty-three (33) M1130 
     Command Vehicles (CV); twenty-four (24) M1133 Medical 
     Evacuation Vehicles (MEV); ten (10) M1135 Nuclear, 
     Biological, Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicles

[[Page S3884]]

     (NBCRV); five (5) Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck 
     (HEMTT) Light Equipment Transports (LET); five (5) Modular 
     Catastrophic Recovery Systems (MCRS); two (2) M1120A4 HEMTT 
     Load Handling Systems; five (5) M984A4 Wrecker HEMTTs; and 
     one hundred seven (107) M240 Coaxial 7.62mm machine guns. 
     Also included is support service equipment; M-153A4 Common 
     Remote Operated Weapons Stations (CROWS); Forward Repair 
     Systems (FRS); M2A1 .50 caliber machine guns; M6 smoke-
     grenade launchers and associated spares; Harris radios; AN/
     VAS-5 Driver's Vision Enhancer (DVE); DVE-Wide; 
     communications equipment; RS6 (LW30) Remote Weapon Systems; 
     TACFLIR 280 HDEP systems; Ranger R20SS Radar; ROVER6Si 
     transceivers; spare parts; Basic Issue Items (BII), 
     Components of End Items (COEI), and Additional Authorized 
     List (AAL); Special Tools and Test Equipment (STTE); 
     technical manuals; OCONUS Deprocessing Service; OCONUS 
     contractor provided training and Field Service 
     Representatives (FSR); component assembly in-country; and 
     other related elements of logistics and program support. The 
     estimated total cost is $1.5 billion.
       This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and 
     national security objectives of the United States by helping 
     to improve the security of a North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization ally that is a force for political stability and 
     economic progress in Europe.
       The proposed sale will improve Bulgaria's rapid infantry 
     deployment and force projection capability. Bulgaria will use 
     this enhanced capability to strengthen its homeland defense 
     and deter regional threats. Bulgaria will have no difficulty 
     absorbing this equipment and services into its armed forces.
       The principal contractor will be General Dynamics Land 
     Systems, Anniston, AL. There are no known offset agreements 
     proposed in connection with this potential sale.
       Implementation of this proposed sale will require twenty 
     (20) Stryker contractor representatives to travel to Bulgaria 
     for twenty-four (24) months to conduct contractor logistics 
     support, training, and component assembly support.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 23-66

     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 Stryker Family of Vehicles (FoV) are all derived 
     from the Flat Bottom Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV). The ICV 
     supplies the common suspension (except for the ICVD), drive 
     line, major C4 components, and hull to the FoV. The FoV is 
     powered by a 350 horsepower C7 Caterpillar diesel engine and 
     runs on eight wheels that feature run flat capability and a 
     central tire inflation system (CTIS). It contains a vehicle 
     height management system to aid in transportability. The FoV 
     is supported by a communications suite that integrates the 
     Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) 
     radio family and Global Positioning System (GPS) and their 
     commercially exportable equivalents, and has a Mission 
     Equipment Package that add to the ICV common capabilities. 
     The Stryker is deployable by C-130 aircraft and is combat 
     capable upon arrival; it is also capable of self-deployment 
     by highway and can conduct self-recovery. It has a low noise 
     level that reduces crew fatigue and enhances survivability. 
     It moves about the battlefield quickly and is optimized for 
     close, complex, or urban terrain. The Stryker program 
     leverages non-developmental items with common subsystems and 
     components to quickly acquire and field these systems.
       2. The XM914E1 is a single feed chain gun that fires 
     linked, percussion-primed 30mm 113mm ammunition. The gun is 
     powered by a 1 horsepower 28V (volt) direct current (DC) 
     motor and incorporates hang fire safety protection. Actual 
     operation of the gun is accomplished via the platform's fire 
     control system in conjunction with and through the dedicated 
     Gun Control Unit (GCU). The GCU provides all electrical power 
     to the gun, including operational and sensor level 28V DC 
     power. The weapon has a cyclic firing rate of 200 
     25 shots per minute. Actual firing rate varies within the 
     specification range due to system level characteristics, such 
     as inputted voltage and ammunition feed system loads.
       3. The RS6 Remote Weapon System (RWS) is an externally 
     mounted weapon mounting and control system that allows the 
     gunner to remain inside the vehicle protected by armor while 
     firing a variety of crew-served weapons, including the 
     XM914E1 chain gun. The RS6 allows for remote day and night 
     sighting and ballistic control capability, providing first-
     burst engagement of targets at maximum effective weapon range 
     while on the move.
       4. The AN/VAS-5 Driver's Vision Enhancer (DVE) is compact 
     thermal camera providing armored vehicle drivers with day or 
     nighttime visual awareness in clear or reduced vision (fog, 
     smoke, dust, etc.) situations. The system provides the driver 
     a 50-degree viewing angle using a high-resolution infrared 
     sensor and image stabilization to reduce the effect of shock 
     and vibration. The viewer and monitor are ruggedized for 
     operation in tactical environments.
       5. The Driver's Vision Enhancer (DVE-Wide) mounted on the 
     XM1296 ICVD, is a compact thermal camera providing armored 
     vehicle drivers with day or nighttime visual awareness in 
     clear or reduced vision (fog, smoke, dust, etc.) situations. 
     The system provides the driver a 180-degree viewing angle 
     using a high-resolution infrared sensor and image 
     stabilization to reduce the effect of shock and vibration. 
     The viewer and monitor are ruggedized for operation in 
     tactical environments.
       6. The Common Remote Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) is an 
     externally-mounted weapon mounting and control system that 
     allows the gunner to remain inside the vehicle protected by 
     armor while firing a variety of crew-served weapons. The 
     CROWS allows for remote day and night sighting and ballistic 
     control capability, providing first-burst engagement of 
     targets at maximum effective weapon range while on the move.
       7. hC2 BMS solution--the hC2 Software Suite is a complete 
     COMMAND and Control (C2) solution that offers clarity, 
     simplicity, and high performance to address real world C2 
     challenges at all echelon levels. The hC2 Suite connects the 
     headquarters all the way down the echelon to the tactical 
     edge. At the core of the hC2 Suite is hC2 Tactical 
     Communications, which enables full integration and 
     interoperability of the three hC2 components: COMMAND, PATROL 
     and DISMOUNT. hC2 Tactical Communications provides networked 
     COMMAND and control and shared situational awareness, 
     allowing for information exchange across echelons. hC2 
     Tactical Communications is operable on limited bandwidth, 
     high latency tactical radio data communications frequencies. 
     hC2 also supports IP and non-IP radios and can handle 
     different types of radios, even within the same vehicle.
       8. The highest level of classification of defense articles, 
     components, and services included in this potential sale is 
     SECRET.
       9. 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.
       10. A determination has been made that Bulgaria can provide 
     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.
       11. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal have been authorized for release and export to 
     the Republic of Bulgaria.

                          ____________________