[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 6, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S418-S419]
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 that have been received.
If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such an 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) or the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 23-89,
concerning the Air Force's proposed Letter( s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of the Netherlands for defense
articles and services estimated to cost $908 million. We will
issue a news release to notify the public or this proposed
sale upon delivery of this letter to your office.
Sincerely,
Mike Miller
(For James A. Hursch, Director).
Enclosures.
transmittal no. 23-89
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 Netherlands.
[[Page S419]]
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment* $351 million.
Other $557 million.
Total $908 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
One hundred twenty (120) AGM-158B/B-2 Joint Air-to-Surface
Standoff Missiles with Extended Range (JASSM-ER) All-Up-
Rounds.
Fifteen (15) AGM-158 Inert JASSMs with Test Instrumentation
Kits.
Two (2) AGM-158 JASSM Separation Test Vehicles.
One (1) AGM-158 Instrumented Test Vehicle.
Two (2) JASSM Jettison Test Vehicles.
Non-MDE: Also included are AGM-158 JASSM Dummy Air Training
Missiles (DATM) and containers; KGV-135A encryption devices;
test and integration equipment and support; spare parts,
consumables, accessories, and repair and return support;
munitions support and support equipment; classified and
unclassified publications and technical documentation;
Contractor Logistics Support (CLS); transportation support;
personnel training and training equipment; studies and
surveys; U.S. Government and contractor engineering,
technical, and logistics support services; and other related
elements of logistics and program support.
(iv) Military Department: Air Force (NE-D-YAI)
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: None
(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: February 5, 2024.
* as defined in Section 47
(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.
policy justification
The Netherlands--Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles with Extended
Range
The Government of the Netherlands has requested to buy one
hundred twenty (120) AGM-158B/B-2 Joint Air-to-Surface
Standoff Missiles with Extended Range (JASSM-ER) All-Up-
Rounds; fifteen (15) AGM-158 Inert JASSMs with Test
Instrumentation Kits; two (2) AGM-158 JASSM Separation Test
Vehicles; one (1) AGM-158 Instrumented Test Vehicle; and two
(2) JASSM Jettison Test Vehicles. Also included are AGM-158
JASSM Dummy Air Training Missiles (DATM) and containers; KGV-
135A encryption devices; test and integration equipment and
support; spare parts, consumables, accessories, and repair
and return support; munitions support and support equipment;
classified and unclassified publications and technical
documentation; Contractor Logistics Support (CLS);
transportation support; personnel training and training
equipment; studies and surveys; U.S. Government and
contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support
services; and other related elements of logistics and program
support. The estimated total cost is $908 million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals
and national security objectives of the United States by
improving the security of a NATO Ally that is a force for
political stability and economic progress in Europe.
The proposed sale will improve the Netherlands' capability
to meet current and future threats by increasing its
airborne, long-range, precision-strike combat capability. The
Netherlands will use these systems to defend NATO Allies and
deter aggression. The Netherlands 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 contractor will be Lockheed Martin Missiles
and Fire Control, Orlando, FL. 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 Netherlands.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
transmittal no. 23-89
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 AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile with
Extended Range (JASSM-ER) All-Up-Round is a low-observable,
highly-survivable, subsonic cruise missile designed to
penetrate next-generation air defense systems enroute to
target. The JASSM-ER is designed to kill hard, medium-
hardened, soft, and area type targets. The extended range
over the baseline was obtained by going from a turbo jet to a
turbo-fan engine and by reconfiguring the fuel tanks for
added capacity.
The AGM-158B-2 system capabilities include all the
capabilities of the AGM-158B. The AGM-158B-2 configuration
will have different internal components to address multiple
obsolescence issues as well as subcomponent updates to
position for M-Code and other potential upgrades.
2. The KGV-135A is a high-speed, general purpose encryptor/
decryptor module used for wide-band data encryption.
3. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is
SECRET.
4. 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.
5. A determination has been made that the Netherlands 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.
6. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal have been authorized for release and export to
the Netherlands.
____________________