[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 200 (Tuesday, December 5, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5741-S5743]
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

[[Page S5742]]

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)(1) of the Anus Export Control Act, as 
     amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 23-81, 
     concerning the Air Force's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of the Republic of Korea for 
     defense articles and services estimated to cost $271 million. 
     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. 23-81

     Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to 
         Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as 
         amended
       (i) Prospective Purchaser: Government of the Republic of 
     Korea.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment * $209 million.
       Other $62 million.
       Total $271 million.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       Thirty-nine (39) AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-
     Air Missiles (AMRAAM)
       Two (2) AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM Guidance Sections
       Eighty-eight (88) KMU-556 Tail Kits for the GBU-31vl Joint 
     Direct-Attack Munition (JDAM)
       Eighty-six (86) Mk-84 General Purpose (GP) 2000-lb Bombs 
     for the GBU-31v1 JDAM
       Seventy (70) KMU-557 Tail Kits for the GBU-31v3 JDAM
       Seventy (70) BLU-109C/B 2000-lb Bombs for the GBU-31v3 JDAM
       Seventy-eight (78) KMU-572 Tail Kits for the GBU-54 Laser 
     JDAM (LJDAM)
       Two hundred sixty-nine (269) MAU-169 Computer Control 
     Groups/Guidance Sections for the GBU-12 Paveway II
       Two hundred sixty-nine (269) MXU-650 Air Foil Groups for 
     the GBU-12 Paveway II
       Three hundred forty-two (342) Mk-82 500-lb GP Bombs for the 
     GBU-12 Paveway II or GBU-54 LJDAM
       Twelve (12) Mk-82 Inert Bombs
       Thirty-five (35) GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb-Increment 1 
     (SDB-I) All-Up-Rounds (AUR) with Containers
       One hundred eighteen (118) GBU-53 Small Diameter Bomb-
     Increment 2 (SDB-II) AURs
       Non-MDE: Also included are AIM-120 control section spares 
     and containers; DSU-38 Laser Illuminated Target Detectors; 
     SDB-I Tactical Training Rounds and carriage systems; SDB-II 
     Practical Explosive Ordnance Disposal Trainers (PEST) and 
     Weapon Load Crew Trainer (WLCT) units; FMU-139 fuzes; Common 
     Munitions Built-in-Test (BIT)/Reprogramming Equipment 
     (CMBRE); ADU-891 adapter group computer test sets; Mk-84 
     practice bombs and other training bombs/components; munitions 
     support and support equipment including propellant and 
     explosive charges; classified software delivery and support; 
     spare parts, consumables, and accessories, and repair and 
     return support; major modifications, maintenance, and 
     maintenance support; transportation and airlift support; 
     classified/unclassified publications and technical 
     documentation; personnel training and training equipment; 
     contractor logistics support (CLS); studies and surveys; U.S. 
     Government and contractor engineering, technical and 
     logistics support services; and other related elements of 
     logistical and program support.
       (iv) Military Department: Air Force (KS-D-YBB).
       (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: KS-D-YAJ.
       (vi) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, Offered, or Agreed 
     to be Paid: None known at this time.
       (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: December 1, 2023.
       *As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

                Republic of Korea (ROK)--F-35 Munitions

       The Government of the Republic of Korea has requested to 
     buy thirty-nine (39) AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-
     Air Missiles (AMRAAM); two (2) AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM Guidance 
     Sections; eighty-eight (88) KMU-556 Tail Kits for the GBU-
     31vl Joint Direct-Attack Munition (JDAM); eighty-six (86) Mk-
     84 General Purpose (GP) 2000-lb bombs for the GBU-31v1 JDAM; 
     seventy (70) KMU-557 Tail Kits for the GBU-3lv3 JDAM; seventy 
     (70) BLU-109C/B 2000-lb bombs for the GBU-31v3 JDAM; seventy-
     eight (78) KMU-572 Tail Kits for the GBU-54 Laser JDAM 
     (LJDAM); two hundred sixty-nine (269) MAU-169 Computer 
     Control Groups/Guidance Sections for the GBU-12 Paveway II; 
     two hundred sixty-nine (269) MXU-650 Air Foil Groups for the 
     GBU-12 Paveway II; three hundred forty-two (342) Mk-82 500-lb 
     GP bombs for the GBU-12 Paveway II or GBU-54 LJDAM; twelve 
     (12) Mk-82 inert bombs; thirty-five (35) GBU-39 Small 
     Diameter Bomb-Increment 1 (SDB-I) All-Up-Rounds (AUR) with 
     containers; and one hundred eighteen (118) GBU-53 Small 
     Diameter Bomb-Increment 2 (SDB-II) AURs. Also included are 
     AIM-120 control section spares and containers; DSU-38 Laser 
     Illuminated Target Detectors; SDB-1 Tactical Training Rounds 
     and carriage systems; SDB-II Practical Explosive Ordnance 
     Disposal Trainers (PEST) and Weapon Load Crew Trainer (WLCT) 
     units; FMU-139 fuzes; Common Munitions Built-in-Test (BIT)/
     Reprogramming Equipment (CMBRE); ADU-891 adapter group 
     computer test sets; Mk-84 practice bombs and other training 
     bombs/components; munitions support and support equipment 
     including propellant and explosive charges; classified 
     software delivery and support; spare parts, consumables, and 
     accessories, and repair and return support; major 
     modifications, maintenance, and maintenance support; 
     transportation and airlift support; classified/unclassified 
     publications and technical documentation; personnel training 
     and training equipment; contractor logistics support (CLS); 
     studies and surveys; U.S. Government and contractor 
     engineering, technical and logistics support services; and 
     other related elements of logistical and program support. The 
     estimated total cost is $271 million.
       This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals 
     and national security objectives of the United States by 
     improving the security of a major ally that is a force for 
     political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific 
     region.
       The proposed sale will improve the Republic of Korea's 
     capability to meet current and future threats by providing 
     its fighter fleet with a range of air-to-air and air-to-
     ground munitions to deter aggression in the region and ensure 
     interoperability with U.S. forces. Korea will have no 
     difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its 
     armed forces.
       The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not 
     alter the basic military balance in the region.
       The principal contractors will be Lockheed Martin 
     Corporation, Ocala, FL; Raytheon Missiles and Defense, 
     Tucson, AZ; and the Boeing Company, Huntsville, AL. The 
     purchaser typically requests offsets. Any offset agreement 
     will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the 
     contractor.
       Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the 
     assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor 
     representatives to the Republic of Korea.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 23-81

     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 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile 
     (AMMAM) is a supersonic, air-launched, aerial intercept, 
     guided missile featuring digital technology and 
     microminiature, solid-state electronics. AMRAAM capabilities 
     include look-down/shoot-down, multiple launches against 
     multiple targets, resistance to electronic countermeasures, 
     and interception of high- and low-flying and maneuvering 
     targets. This potential sale will include AMRAAM guidance and 
     control section spares and containers.
       2. Joint Direct-Attack Munitions (JDAM) consist of a bomb 
     body paired with a warhead-specific tail kit containing an 
     Inertial Navigation System (INS)/Global Positioning System 
     (GPS) guidance capability that converts unguided free-fall 
     bombs into accurate, adverse weather ``smart'' munitions. The 
     JDAM weapon can be delivered from modest standoff ranges at 
     high or low altitudes against a variety of land and surface 
     targets during the day or night. The JDAM can receive target 
     coordinates via preplanned mission data from the delivery 
     aircraft, by onboard aircraft sensors (i.e., FLIR, Radar, 
     etc.) during captive carry, or from a third-party source via 
     manual or automated aircrew cockpit entry.
       a. The GBU-31v1 is a 2,000-pound JDAM, consisting of a KMU-
     556 tail kit and BLU-117 or Mk-84 bomb body.
       b. The GBU-31v3 is a 2,000-pound JDAM, consisting of a KMU-
     557 tail kit and BLU-109 bomb body.
       c. The GBU-54 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (LJDAM) is 
     a 500-pound JDAM which incorporates all the capabilities of 
     the JDAM guidance tail kit and adds a precision laser 
     guidance set. The LJDAM gives the weapon system an optional 
     semi-active laser guidance in addition to the INS/GPS 
     guidance. This provides the optional capability to strike 
     moving targets. The GBU-54 consists of a DSU-38 laser 
     guidance set and bomb body with appropriate KMU-5XX tail kit.
       3. The Paveway II (PWII) is a maneuverable, free-fall Laser 
     Guided Bomb (LGB) that guides to laser energy reflected off 
     the target. The LGB is delivered like a normal general 
     purpose (GP) warhead, but the semi-active laser guidance 
     corrects many of the normal errors inherent in any delivery 
     system. Laser designation for the LGB can be provided by a 
     variety of laser target markers or designators. The PWII 
     consists of a non-warhead-specific MAU-209 or MAU-169 
     Computer

[[Page S5743]]

     Control Group (CCG) and a warhead-specific Air Foil Group 
     (AFG) that attaches to the nose and tail of the GP bomb body.
       a. The GBU-12 is a 500-pound GP bomb body fitted with the 
     MAU-169 Computer Control Group and MXU-650 Air Foil Group to 
     guide to its laser designated target.
       b. The inert GBU-12 uses a BDU-50 inert bomb body, MAU-169 
     Computer Control Group and MXU-650 Air Foil Group for 
     training and integration purposes.
       4. The GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb Increment 1 (SDB-I) All-
     Up-Round (AUR) is a 250-pound GPS-aided inertial navigation 
     system, small autonomous, day or night, adverse weather, 
     conventional, air-to-ground precision glide weapon able to 
     strike fixed and stationary re-locatable non-hardened targets 
     from standoff ranges. It is intended to provide aircraft with 
     an ability to carry a high number of bombs. Aircraft are able 
     to carry four SDBs in place of one 2,000-pound bomb.
       (a) The GBU-39/B, Tactical Training Round (TTR), Small 
     Diameter Bomb (Inert Fuze) is functionally identical to a 
     live tactical weapon except that the live warhead is replaced 
     with an inert fill.
       5. The GBU-53 Small Diameter Bomb-Increment II (SDB-II) 
     All-Up-Round (AUR) is a 250-pound class precision-guided, 
     semiautonomous, conventional, air-to-ground munition used to 
     defeat targets through adverse weather. The SDB-II has 
     deployable wings and fins and uses Global Positioning System/
     Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) guidance, network-
     enabled datalink (Link-16 and UHF), and a multi-mode seeker 
     (millimeter wave radar, imaging infrared, semi-active laser) 
     to autonomously search, acquire, track, and defeat a variety 
     of moving or stationary targets, at standoff range in a 
     variety of attack modes. The SDB-II employs a multieffects 
     warhead (blast, fragmentation, and shaped-charge) for maximum 
     lethality against armored and soft targets. The SDB-II weapon 
     system consists of the tactical AUR weapon, a 4-place common 
     carriage system, and mission planning system munitions 
     application program (MAP).
       a. The SDB-II Practical Explosive Ordnance Disposal Trainer 
     (PEST) is an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) training unit 
     with sections and internal subassemblies which are identical 
     to, or correlate to, the external hardware, sections and 
     internal subassemblies of the tactical AUR. The PEST does not 
     contain energetics, a live fuze, any sensitive components, or 
     hazardous material. It is not flight certified.
       b. The SDB-II Weapon Load Crew Trainer (WLCT) is a mass 
     mockup of the tactical AUR used for load crew and maintenance 
     training. It does not contain energetics, a live fuze, any 
     sensitive components, or hazardous material. It is not flight 
     certified.
       6. The FMU-139 Joint Programmable Fuze (JPF) is a multi-
     delay, multi-arm and proximity sensor compatible with general 
     purpose blast, frag and hardened-target penetrator weapons. 
     The JPF settings are cockpit selectable in flight when used 
     with numerous precision-guided weapons.
       7. Common Munitions Built-In-Test (BIT)/Reprogramming 
     Equipment (CMIBRE) is support equipment used to interface 
     with weapon systems to initiate and report BIT results, and 
     upload/download flight software. CMBRE supports multiple 
     munitions platforms with a range of applications that perform 
     preflight checks, periodic maintenance checks, loading of 
     Operational Flight Program (OFP) data, loading of munitions 
     mission planning data, loading of Global Positioning System 
     (GPS) cryptographic keys, and declassification of munitions-
     memory.
       8. The ADU-891 Adapter Group Test Set provides the physical 
     and electrical interface between the Common Munitions Built-
     in-Test Reprogramming Equipment (CMBRE) and the missile.
       9. The highest level of classification of defense articles, 
     components, and services included in this potential sale is 
     SECRET.
       10. 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.
       11. A determination has been made that the Republic of 
     Korea can provide substantially 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.
       12. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal have been authorized for release and export to 
     the Republic of Korea.

                          ____________________