[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 175 (Tuesday, October 24, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5135-S5136]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION

  Mr. CARDIN. 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. Benjamin L. Cardin,
     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. 23-0P. 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 18-19 of June 26, 
     2018.
           Sincerely,
                                                  James A. Hursch,
                                                         Director.
       Enclosure.

[[Page S5136]]

  



                         Transmittal No. 23-0P

     Report of Enhancement or Upgrade of Sensitivity of Technology 
         or Capability (Sec. 36(b)(5)(C), AECA)
       (i) Purchaser: Government of Spain.
       (ii) Sec. 36(b)(1), AECA Transmittal No.: 18-19; Date: June 
     26, 2018; Implementing Agency: Navy.
       (iii) Description: On June 26, 2018, Congress was notified 
     by Congressional certification transmittal number 18-19, of 
     the possible sale, under Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export 
     Control Act, of five (5) AEGIS Weapons Systems (AWS) MK7, six 
     (6) shipsets Digital Signal Processing, five (5) shipsets AWS 
     Computing Infrastructure MARK 1 MOD 0, five (5) shipsets 
     Operational Readiness Test Systems (ORTS), five (5) shipsets 
     MK 99 MOD 14 Fire Control System, five (5) shipsets MK 41 
     Baseline VII Vertical Launching Systems (VLS), two (2) All-
     Up-Round MK 54 Mod 0 lightweight torpedoes, twenty (20) 
     Standard Missile 2 (SM-2) Block IIIB missiles and MK 13 
     canisters with AN/DKT-71 warhead compatible telemeter. Also 
     included was one (1) S4 AWS computer program, five (5) 
     shipsets Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Satellite Communications 
     (SATCOM), five (5) shipsets AN/SRQ-4 radio terminal sets, 
     five (5) shipsets ordnance handling equipment, five (5) 
     shipsets Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Modules 
     (SAASMI), five (5) shipsets aviation handling and support 
     equipment, five (5) shipsets AN/SLQ-24E Torpedo 
     countermeasures systems, five (5) shipsets LM04 Thru-Hull XBT 
     Launcher and test canisters, one (1) shipset MK 36 MOD 6 
     Decoy Launching System, five (5) shipsets Link Level COMSEC 
     (LLC) 7M for LINK 22, five (5) shipsets Maintenance Assist 
     Module (MAM) cabinets, five (5) shipsets technical 
     documentation, five (5) shipsets installation support 
     material, special purpose test equipment, system engineering, 
     technical services, on-site vendor assistance, spare parts, 
     systems training, foreign liaison office and staging services 
     necessary to support ship construction and delivery, spare 
     and repair parts, tools and test equipment, support 
     equipment, repair and return support, personnel training and 
     training equipment, publications and technical documentation, 
     U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics 
     support services, and other related elements of logistic and 
     program support. The estimated total cost was $860.4 million. 
     Major Defense Equipment (MDE) constituted $324.4 million of 
     this total.
       On June 15, 2020, Congress was notified by Congressional 
     certification transmittal number 20-0G of an additional MDE 
     sale of thirty (30) All-Up-Round MK 54 Lightweight Torpedoes 
     (LWT). The following non-MDE items were also included: MK 54 
     LWT expendables; MK 54 turnaround kits; MK 54 containers; one 
     (1) MK-695 Torpedo Systems Test Set (TSTS); support equipment 
     including fire control modification platforms and spare 
     parts; torpedo spare parts; training; publications; software; 
     U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and 
     logistics support services and other related elements of 
     logistics and program support. The addition of these items 
     resulted in a net increase in MDE cost of $45 million, 
     resulting in a revised MDE cost of $369.4 million. The total 
     estimated case value increased to $940.4 million.
       On June 8, 2022, Congress was notified by Congressional 
     certification transmittal number 22-0G of the MDE replacement 
     of the previously notified two (2) All Up Round MK 54 Mod 0 
     LWTs with two (2) Exercise MK 54 Mod 0 LWTs. Also included 
     was additional Engineering Technical Assistance for redesign 
     of Radar Signal Processing Group configuration and updates to 
     International Aegis Fire Control Loop design; shipsets of 
     SAASM units and associated spares; COMSEC equipment for use 
     between test sites; and removal of one (1) shipset MK 36 Mod 
     6 Decoy Launching System. The MDE total value remained $369.4 
     million; however, the non-MDE estimated value increased from 
     $571 million to $810.6 million. The total estimated case 
     value increased to $1.18 billion.
       On February 27, 2023, Congress was notified by 
     Congressional certification transmittal number 22-0W of the 
     MDE inclusion of up to an additional sixty-two (62) SM-2 
     Block IIIB missiles in tactical and telemetered 
     configurations. Also included were MK 13 canisters; spare 
     parts and associated containers; personal training and 
     training equipment; publications and technical data; U.S. 
     Government and contractor technical assistance; and other 
     related elements of logistics and program support. The 
     addition of these items resulted in a net increase in MDE 
     value of $260 million, resulting in a revised MDE value of 
     $629.4 million. The non-MDE estimated value increased from 
     $810.6 million to $850.6 million. The total estimated case 
     value increased by $300 million to $1.48 billion.
       This transmittal notifies: 1) the MDE inclusion of an 
     additional one hundred-ten (110) MK 54 Mod 0 Lightweight 
     Torpedoes (LWT) in the form of conversion kits for the 
     Spanish Navy's MK 46 LWTs; and 2) the replacement of the 
     previously notified additional up to sixty-two (62) SM-2 
     Block IIIB missiles with up to sixty-two (62) SM-2 Block IIIC 
     missiles. Also included are MK 54 LWT expendables; MK 54 
     turnaround kits; MK 54 containers; torpedo spare parts; 
     training; logistics support services; air launch accessories; 
     and unclassified and classified publications. The estimated 
     total value of the new items is $181 million. The value of 
     the new MDE items constitutes $75 million of this total, 
     resulting in a revised MDE value of $704.4 million. The 
     estimated non-MDE value will increase by $106 million to 
     $956.6 million. The total estimated case value will increase 
     by $181 million to $1.661 billion.
       (iv) Significance: The inclusion of this MDE represents an 
     increase in capability over what was previously notified. The 
     proposed amendment will support Spain's Anti-Submarine 
     Warfare (ASW) capability by providing 50 MK 54 Conversion 
     Kits for use with surface ships and 60 Conversion Kits for 
     use on helicopters.
       (v) Justification: This proposed sale will support the 
     foreign policy and national security of the United States by 
     improving the security of a North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization (NATO) Ally, which is an important force for 
     political stability and economic progress in Europe. It is 
     vital to the U.S. national interest to assist Spain in 
     developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense 
     capability.
       (vi) Sensitivity of Technology:
       The SM-2 Block IIIC Active Missile maximizes existing SM-6 
     Block 1 active and SM-2 semi-active missile technology to 
     deliver a low cost, medium range dual mode active/semi-active 
     missile. Improvements to the Guidance Section. communications 
     plate and steering control section are planned to address 
     obsolescence.
       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: October 19, 2023.

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