[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 146 (Monday, September 11, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4349-S4350]
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)(C) of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), 
     as amended, we are forwarding Transmittal No. 23-0K. This 
     notification relates to enhancements or upgrades from the 
     level of sensitivity of technology or capability described in 
     the Section 36(b)(1) AECA certification 16-59 dated September 
     8, 2017.
           Sincerely,
                                                  James A. Hursch,
                                                         Director.
       Enclosures.


                         Transmittal No. 23-0K

     Report of Enhancement or Upgrade of Sensitivity of Technology 
         or Capability (Sec. 36(b)(5)(C). AECA)
       (i) Purchaser: Government of Bahrain.
       (ii) Sec. 36(b)(1), AECA Transmittal No.: 16-59; Date: 
     September 8, 2017; Implementing Agency: Air Force.
       Funding Source: National Funds.
       (iii) Description: On September 8, 2017, Congress was 
     notified by congressional certification transmittal number 
     16-59 of the possible sale under Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms 
     Export Control Act of the possible upgrade of Bahrain's 
     existing twenty (23) F-16 Block 40 aircraft to the F-16V 
     configuration. The requested sale was comprised of twenty-
     three (23) F110 GE-129 engines (includes 3 spares); twenty-
     three (23) APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array Radars 
     (includes 3 spares); twenty-three (23) Modular Mission 
     Computers (includes 3 spares); twenty-three (23) Embedded 
     Global Navigation Systems/LN260 EGI (includes 3 spares); 
     forty (40) LAU-129 launchers; twenty-three (23) Improved 
     Programmable Display Generators (iPDGs) (includes 3 spares); 
     twenty-five (25) AN/AAQ-33 SNIPER Pods; two (2) AIM-9X 
     Sidewinder Missiles; two (2) AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation 
     Missiles (HARM); two (2) WGU-43 Guidance Control Unit (GBU) 
     Guidance Control Unit (GCU) (for GBU-24 Paveway III); two (2) 
     BSU-84 Air Foil Group (AFG) (for GBU-24 Paveway III); five 
     (5) KMU-572 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) Tailkits (for 
     GBU-38 JDAM and GBU-54 Laser JDAM); two (2) GBU-39 Small 
     Diameter Bombs (SDB) Guided Test Vehicles (GTV); two (2) AGM-
     84 Harpoon Missiles; three (3) MAU-210 ECCG (for GBU-50 
     Enhanced Paveway II); three (3) BLU-109 Inert Bomb Bodies; 
     four (4) MK-82/BLU-111 Inert Bomb Bodies; and two (2) FMU-152 
     or FMU-139 Fuzes. Also included were one (1) Joint Mission 
     Planning System; one (1) F-16V simulator; twenty (20) AN/ALQ-
     211 AIDEWS Systems; one (1) avionics level test station; six 
     (6) DB-110 Advanced Reconnaissance Systems; two (2) LAU-118A 
     Launchers; forty-five (45) AN/ARC-238 SINCGARS Radio or 
     equivalent; twenty-three (23) AN/APX126 Advanced 
     Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF) systems or equivalent; 
     twenty-three (23) cryptographic appliques; two (2) CATM-9L/M, 
     two (2) AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile 
     (AMRAAM) Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM); three (3) MXU-
     651 AFG (for GBU-50 Enhanced Paveway II); four (4) DSU-38 
     Precision Laser Guidance sets (PLGS) (for GBU-54 Laser JDAM); 
     four (4) AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW) Captive Flight 
     Vehicles (CFV); three (3) MK-84/BLU-117 Inert Bomb Bodies; 
     two (2) FMU-152 D-1 Inert Fuzes; three (3) BRU-57 Bomb Racks; 
     two (2) BRU-61 Bomb Racks for SDB; two (2) ADU-890 SDB 
     adapter cable for CMBRE; two (2) ADU-891 AMRAAM/AIM-9X 
     adapter cable for CMBRE; telemetry for all flight test assets 
     secure communication equipment spares and repair parts; 
     support equipment; personnel training and training equipment; 
     publications and technical documentation; U.S. Government and 
     contractor technical support services; containers; missile 
     support and test equipment; integration test; site survey; 
     design; construction studies/analyses/services; associate 
     operations, maintenance, training; support facilities; 
     cybersecurity; critical computer resources support; force 
     protection; and other related elements of logistics and 
     program support. The estimated total cost was $1.082 billion. 
     Major Defense Equipment (MDE) constituted $406 million of 
     this total.
       On September 28, 2018, Congress was notified by 
     Congressional certification transmittal number 18-0C of the 
     possible sale, under Section 36(b)(5)(C) of the Arms Export 
     Control Act, of:
       1. The inclusion of twenty-three (23) Multifunction 
     Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System 
     (MIDS-JTRS) Concurrent Multi-Networking-4 (CMN-4) which are 
     MDE;
       2. The inclusion of an additional nineteen (19) AN/ALQ-211 
     Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite 
     (AIDEWS) Systems (non-MDE), which will increase the number 
     from twenty (20) to thirty-nine (39). These additional 
     nineteen (19) were not included in the total value of the 
     AIDEWS systems previously notified. This change was due to a 
     change in system requirements and a desire to prioritize 
     system components with long lead procurement timelines; and
       3. The inclusion of additional test weapons quantities and 
     MDE designations outlined below:
       a. BLU-109--Increase from quantity of three (3) to four 
     (4).
       b. Bomb Practice GBU-39 Guided Test Vehicle (GTV)--MDE item 
     not on original notification.
       c. MK-82 Inert Filled Bomb Body--Increase in quantity of 
     four (4) to six (6)--MDE not on original notification.
       d. KMU-572 JDAM Tail Kit--Quantity of five (5) not included 
     on original Congressional Notification and MDE designation 
     not on original notification.
       e. MXU-650 Air Foil Group--Quantity of two (2) not included 
     on original Congressional Notification and MDE designation 
     not on original notification.
       f. MXU-651 Air Foil Group--MDE designation not on original 
     notification.
       g. MAU-210 Enhanced Computer Control Group--Increase in 
     quantity of three (3) to four (4) and MDE designation not on 
     original notification. Also, correct that this MAU is for the 
     GBU-49, not the GBU-50 as outlined in the original 
     notification.
       h. FMU-152--Quantity of six (6) not included on original 
     Congressional Notification and MDE designation not on 
     original notification.
       These changes were due to unit pack minimum required 
     quantities, items not properly identified as MDE on the 
     original notification, and errors in requirements 
     identification by the procuring office.
       The inclusion of these MDE items did not increase the value 
     of MDF beyond what was originally notified. The inclusion of 
     AIDEWS caused the total case value to rise from $1.082 
     billion to $1.292 billion.
       On October 1, 2019, Congress was notified by Congressional 
     certification transmittal number 0T-19, under Section 
     36(b)(5)(A) of the Arms Export Control Act, of the inclusion 
     of an additional five (5) AN/AAQ-33 SNIPER Pods, which 
     increased the number from twenty-five (25) to thirty (30), 
     These additional five (5) were not included in the total 
     value of the SNIPER Pods previously notified. The addition of 
     these items resulted in a net increase in cost of MDE of 
     $11.6 million. The revised MDE total value was $417.6 
     million. The total case value remained $1.292 billion.
       This transmittal notifies the following change in MDE 
     items: the ``twenty-three (23) Embedded Global Navigation 
     Systems/LN260 EGI (includes 3 spares)'' previously notified 
     will be changed to ``twenty-three (23) Embedded Global 
     Navigation Systems/LN260 EGI (includes 3 spares) and/or EGI 
     devices with M-code technology.'' The following non-MDE

[[Page S4350]]

     items will also be included: MS-110 Reconnaissance Pod 
     Retrofit Kits; additional spare pans and repair and return 
     support; and additional integration, training, and 
     sustainment equipment and support. The estimated total value 
     of new MDE items is $7 million but will not result in a net 
     increase in the-total MDE cost. The total MDE value will 
     remain $417.6 million. The total cost of added non-MDE items 
     is $139 million. The total estimated case value will increase 
     by $139 million to $1.431 billion.
       (iv) Significance: This notification is being provided as 
     the included replacement and additional items represent in an 
     increase in capability over what was originally notified. The 
     proposed sale increases Bahrain's F-16 fleet's reconnaissance 
     capability and contributes to greater interoperability with 
     the United States. Bahrain is upgrading its F-16 program as a 
     deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland 
     defense.
       (v) Justification: This proposed sale will support the 
     foreign policy and national security of the United States by 
     helping to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally in 
     developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense 
     capability. This proposed sale will enhance U.S. national 
     security objectives in the region.
       (vi) Sensitivity of Technology: The MMcode capable Embedded 
     Global Positioning System (GPS) Inertial Navigation System 
     (INS) (EGI), with an embedded OPS Precise Positioning Service 
     (PPS) Receiver Application Module-Standard Electronic Module 
     (GRAM-S/M), is a self-contained navigation system that 
     provides acceleration, velocity, position, attitude, platform 
     azimuth, magnetic and true heading, altitude, body angular 
     rates, time tags, and coordinated universal time (UTC) 
     synchronized time. The embedded GRAM-SIM enables access to 
     both the encrypted P(Y) and M-Code signals, providing 
     protection against active spoofing attacks, enhanced military 
     exclusivity, integrity, and anti-jam.
       The MS-110 is a tactical reconnaissance pod with long-
     range, day/night, multi-spectral sensor technology. The 
     multi-spectral sensor lets the end user see color and better 
     distinguish subtle features than a DB-110 pod's dual band 
     imagery. The pod can transmit imagery via a datalink: to 
     ground-stations for near-real time analysis and exploitation. 
     The MS-110 Retrofit Kit converts a DB-110 pod into an MS-110 
     pod.
       The Sensitivity of Technology Statement contained in the 
     original notification applies to additional items reported 
     here.
       The highest level of classification of defense articles, 
     components, and services included in this potential sale is 
     SECRET.
       (vii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: September 6, 2023.

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