[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.
____________________