[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 23 (Thursday, February 8, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S489-S490]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

                                 ______
                                 

                        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 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) of the Arms Export Control Act, as 
     amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 24-06, 
     concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of Poland for defense articles 
     and services estimated to cost $1.2 billion. We will issue a 
     news release to notify the public of

[[Page S490]]

     this proposed sale upon delivery of this letter to your 
     office.
           Sincerely,
                                                  James A. Hursch,
                                                         Director.
       Enclosures.


                         transmittal no. 24-06

     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 ----$1.2 billion.
       Total ----$1.2 billion.
       Funding Source: Foreign Military Financing Direct Loan and 
     National Funds.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE): None.
       Non-MDE: Airspace and Surface Radar Reconnaissance (ASRR) 
     aerostat systems; Airborne Early Warning (AEW) Radars with 
     Identification of Friend or Foe (IFF) capability; electronic 
     intelligence (ELINT) sensors systems; mooring systems with 
     powered tether with embedded fiber optics; Ground Control 
     Systems (GCS); associated installation hardware; special 
     tools and test equipment; Basic Issue Items (BII); program 
     management support; verification testing; systems technical 
     support; transportation; spare and repair parts; 
     communications equipment; operators and maintenance manuals; 
     personnel training and training equipment; tool and test 
     equipment; repair and return; publications and technical 
     documentation; Quality Assurance Team (QAT); U.S. Government 
     and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support 
     services; in-country Field Service Representatives (FSR); and 
     other related elements of logistics and program support.
       (iv) Military Department: Army (PL-B-UET).
       (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: None.
       (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: February 7, 2024.
       *as defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export 
     Control Act.


                          policy justification

                        Poland--Aerostat Systems

       The Government of Poland has requested to buy Airspace and 
     Surface Radar Reconnaissance (ASRR) aerostat systems; 
     Airborne Early Warning AEW) Radars with Identification of 
     Friend or Foe (IFF) capability; electronic intelligence 
     (ELINT) sensors systems; mooring systems with powered tether 
     with embedded fiber optics; Ground Control Systems (GCS); 
     associated installation hardware; special tools and test 
     equipment; Basic Issue Items (BII); program management 
     support; verification testing; systems technical support; 
     transportation; spare and repair parts; communications 
     equipment; operators and maintenance manuals; personnel 
     training and training equipment; tool and test equipment; 
     repair and return; publications and technical documentation; 
     Quality Assurance Team (QAT); U.S. Government and contractor 
     engineering, technical, and logistics support services; in-
     country Field Service Representatives (FSR); and other 
     related elements of logistics and program support. The 
     estimated total program cost is $1.2 billion.
       The 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 Poland's capability to meet 
     current and future threats of enemy air and ground weapons 
     systems. Poland will use the capability as an airborne early 
     warning system to defend against incoming regional threats. 
     This will also enable Poland to increase its contribution to 
     future NATO operations. 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 contractors will be Raytheon Intelligence and 
     Space, of El Segundo, CA; TCOM, L.P., of Columbia, MD; ELTA 
     North America, of Annapolis Junction, MD; and Avantus Federal 
     LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of QinetiQ, Inc.), of McLean, 
     VA. There are no known offset agreements proposed in 
     connection with this potential sale.
       Implementation of this proposed sale will require forty 
     (40) aerostat contractor representatives to travel to Poland 
     for eighty-four (84) months to conduct the Contractor 
     Logistics Support, training, and component assembly support.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         transmittal no. 24-06

     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 Airspace and Surface Radar Reconnaissance (ASRR) 
     system is a tethered aerostat system capable of supporting a 
     variety of surveillance payloads. It incorporates a tethered 
     aerostat with a relocatable mooring system capable of 
     supporting payloads up to 7,000 lbs. at altitudes up to 
     15,000 ft., which provides surveillance systems with a line 
     of sight of up to 350 km. In addition to the aerostat, each 
     system includes a mobile mooring system, ground control and 
     maintenance shelters, electrical generators and power 
     distribution panel, forklift and man lift, and supply of 
     helium and spare parts. The program will also include system 
     training, maintenance, and in-country support services. Each 
     of the four (4) aerostats will carry a payload consisting of 
     one (1) radar system and one (1) electronic surveillance 
     electronic intelligence (ELINT) sensor system with integrated 
     Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) capability.
       a. Radar System. The radar system will include one of the 
     following: ETLA North America ELM-2083, Raytheon KnightWatch, 
     or C-Speed ESR-LWR Radar. These systems comprise of a multi-
     function radar capable of providing long-range detection of 
     airborne and maritime targets that are static or in motion. 
     The systems can operate in overland, maritime, and air-to-air 
     modes. They display Moving Target Indicator (MTI) tracks 
     overlaid on a Doppler Beam Sharpened (DBS) image. The systems 
     can switch between vertically and horizontally orientated 
     antennas and incorporate an IFF capability of one of the 
     following: Raytheon APX-119, TPX-62, and AS-4664 
     electronically scanned array (ESA) antennas or Telephonics 
     SFF-44 All-Mode interrogator.
       b. ELINT System. The ELINT system will include one of the 
     following: Raytheon Deutschland Advanced Radar Detection 
     System (ARDS), BANC3 TSD-2000, or ETLA North America ELL-
     8385. These systems comprise of a modular, scalable software-
     defined radio (SDR) designed for airborne ELINT missions. The 
     system can search, intercept, collect, geo-locate, analyze, 
     store, and distribute wireless signals.
       2. The highest level of classification of defense articles, 
     components, and services included in this potential sale is 
     SECRET.
       3. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain 
     knowledge of the specific hardware and software elements, the 
     information could be used to develop countermeasures which 
     might reduce weapon system effectiveness or be used in the 
     development of a system with similar or advanced 
     capabilities.
       4. A determination has been made that Poland can provide 
     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.
       5. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal have been authorized for release and export to 
     the Government of Poland.

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