[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 206 (Thursday, December 14, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5991-S5992]
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(6)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as 
     amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 23-86, 
     concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of Poland for defense articles 
     and services estimated to cost $255 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. 23-86

     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 Poland.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment * $0.
       Other $255 million.
       Total $255 million.
       Funding Source: National Funds.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE): None.
       Non-MDE: Communications equipment, including AN/PRC-117O, 
     AN/PRC-152A, AN/PRC-158, AN/PRC-160, AN/PRC-163, and AN/PRC-
     167 radios; Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers enabled 
     by Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) or M-
     Code; support equipment; spare parts; technical manuals and 
     publications; new equipment training; U.S. Government and 
     contractor technical engineering, logistics, and personnel 
     services; and other related elements of logistics and program 
     support.
       (iv) Military Department: Army (PL-B-UEP).
       (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: PL-B-UAZ, PL-B-UBM, PL-B-
     UBN, PL-B-UBZ, PL-B-UCA, PL-B-UCF, PL-B-UCI, PL-B-UCN, PL-B-
     UCR, PL-B-UCT, PL-8-UCV, PL-B-UDA, PL-B-UDC, PL-B-UDG, PL-B-
     UDH, PL-B-UDI, PL-B-UDK, PL-B-UDM, PL-B-UDO.
       (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: December 13, 
     2023.
       *As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

                    Poland--Communications Equipment

       The Government of Poland has requested to buy 
     communications equipment, including AN/PRC-117G, AN/PRC-152A, 
     AN/PRC-158, AN/PRC-160, AN/PRC-163, and AN/PRC-167 radios; 
     Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers enabled by 
     Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) or M-
     Code; support equipment; spare parts; technical manuals and 
     publications; new equipment training; U.S. Government and 
     contractor technical engineering, logistics, and personnel 
     services; and other related elements of logistics and program 
     support. The estimated total program cost is $255 million.
       This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals 
     and national security objectives of the United States by 
     improving the security of a North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization (NATO) Ally that is a force for political 
     stability and economic progress in Europe.
       The proposed sale will improve Poland's communications 
     capability and contribute to its military goal of updating 
     capability while further enhancing interoperability with the 
     United States and other allies. Poland will have no 
     difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.
       The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not 
     alter the basic military balance in the region.
       The principal contractor will L3Harris Technologies, Inc., 
     Melbourne, FL. There are no known offset agreements proposed 
     in connection with this potential sale.
       Implementation of this proposed sale will require temporary 
     duty travel of up to five (5) U.S. Government and/or 
     contractor representatives to travel to Poland for a short 
     period to conduct training.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 23-86

     Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to 
         Section 36(b)(l) of the Anns Export Control Act

                           Annex Item No. vii

       (vii) Sensitivity of Technology:
       1. The AN/PRC-117O delivers breakthrough wideband data 
     speed and legacy narrowband performance. Equipped with MUOS-
     ready hardware, this manpack is 30% smaller and 35% lighter 
     than any other currently available. The AN/PRC-117G is also 
     the industry's first and only tactical radio with NINE Suite 
     B encryption, allowing for secure interoperability with the 
     United States, NATO, and regional tactical partners.
       2. The Falcon III AN/PRC-152A delivers simultaneous voice 
     and high-speed data, seamlessly connecting dismount and 
     upper-echelon networks. Even in challenging environments, the 
     AN/PRC-152A provides voice, data, imagery, and video, giving 
     warfighters critical mission intelligence for enhanced 
     decision-making.
       3. The Falcon IV AN/PRC-158 delivers dual-channel 
     connectivity across the full 30-2500 MHz frequency range. 
     Compact and lightweight, the MCMP provides forward-deployed 
     warfighters with an unrivaled level of tactical 
     communications flexibility. Equipped with a Software 
     Communications Architecture (SCA) and a broad portfolio of 
     narrowband and wideband waveforms, the AN/PRC-158 ensures 
     advanced interoperability and fast in-field updates for new 
     capabilities. The manpack's two channels and superior routing 
     and crossbanding technologies support communications 
     redundancy and sharing critical voice and data intelligence, 
     surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) with a. variety of 
     nets and sub nets,
       4. The Falcon III AN/PRC-160(V) is the smallest, lightest, 
     and fastest Type I-certified high frequency (HF) manpack 
     available today. Engineered for advanced security

[[Page S5992]]

     and performance, the Wideband HF/VHF Tactical Radio System 
     features industry-leading encryption and breakthrough data 
     performance and interoperability.
       5. The AN/PRC-163 Multi-channel Handheld Radio is a 
     versatile, secure solution that leverages crossbanding to 
     provide simultaneous data & voice across SATCOM, Line-of-
     Sight, and Mobile Ad-hoc Networking (MANET) modes. As mission 
     needs evolve, this software-defined handheld supports fast, 
     in-field updates to new capabilities. An external mission 
     module hardware interface allows warfighters to quickly add 
     options including ISR video and SATCOM.
       6. The AN/PRC-167 harnesses the power of multiple tactical 
     devices converged into a single manpack. The radio provides 
     superior communications range extension, delivering real-time 
     situational awareness updates up and down levels of command. 
     Engineered to meet multi-domain challenges of any combination 
     of ground, vehicular, and airborne missions, the manpack 
     simultaneously and independently runs the full frequency 
     range of a broad portfolio of waveforms on each of two 
     channels. As mission needs evolve, this software-defined 
     man--pack supports fast, in-field capability updates.
       7. The highest level of classification of defense articles, 
     components, and services included in this potential sale is 
     SECRET.
       8. 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.
       9. A determination has been made that Poland 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.
       10. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal have been authorized for release and export to 
     Poland.

                          ____________________