[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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