[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
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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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