[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 12, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2362-S2363]
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 still 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) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 24-25,
concerning the Navy's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Republic of Korea for defense articles and
services estimated to cost $170.6 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. 24-25
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: Republic of Korea.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment* $6.9 million.
Other $163.7 million.
Total $170.6 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Five (5) BQM-177A Subsonic Sea-Skimming Aerial Targets
(SSAT) for KDX-III Batch-II AEGIS Class Destroyers.
Non-MDE: Also included are GQM-163 target drones;
classified books and other publications (technical and non-
technical); test support; technical documentation; personnel
training; U.S. Government and contractor engineering,
technical, and logistics support services; and other related
elements of logistics and program support.
(iv) Military Department: Navy (KS-P-GTP).
(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: March 7, 2024.
*As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export
Control Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Republic of Korea--Subsonic Sea-Skimming Aerial Targets for KDX-III
Batch-II AEGIS Class Destroyers
The Republic of Korea has requested to buy five (5) BQM-
177A Subsonic Sea-Skimming Aerial Targets (SSAT) for KDX-III
[[Page S2363]]
Batch-II AEGIS Class Destroyers. Also included are GQM-163
target drones; classified books and other publications
(technical and non-technical); test support; technical
documentation; personnel training; 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 $170.6 million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals
and national security objectives of the United States by
improving the security of a major ally that is a force for
political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific
region.
The proposed sale will improve the Republic of Korea's
capability to meet current and future threats by performing
Combat System Ship Qualification Trials (CSSQT) for its new
KDX-III Batch-II AEGIS Class Destroyers. The KDX-III Batch-II
CSSQT efforts will demonstrate the ship's ability to safely
and effectively launch and control weapons, demonstrate
proper integrated hardware operation, demonstrate system
performance, based on key requirements, and provide realistic
training for the shipboard anti-air warfare firing teams. The
Republic of Korea 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 for the BQM-177A SSAT will be
Kratos Defense, Sacramento, CA, and Fort Walton Beach, FL.
The principal contractor for the GQM-163A target drones will
be Northrop Grumman, Chandler, AZ. There are no known offset
agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the
assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor
representatives to the Republic of Korea.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
TRANSMITTAL NO. 24-25
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 BQM-177A Subsonic Sea-Skimming Aerial Target (SSAT)
is a subsonic target with capabilities to provide realistic
threat representation. This aerial target replicates modern
subsonic Anti-Ship Cruise Missile threats in support of fleet
training and developmental, and operational testing of major
Department of Defense and international weapon systems. The
BQM-177A aerial targets support live-fire Test and Evaluation
events for AEGIS, SM-6, SM-2, Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM),
Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM), and fleet training
events. The BQM-177A assets for this potential sale will not
be physically delivered to the Republic of Korea. They will
remain in U.S. Navy (USN) custody and reserved as an
allocation to the Republic of Korea until they are required
at the USN Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) to support
the KDX-III Batch-II AEGIS Class Destroyers' (DDG 995, DDG
996, and DDG 997) Combat System Ship Qualification Trials
(CSSQT).
2. The GQM-163A Coyote is a non-recoverable supersonic sea-
skimming aerial target capable of speeds in excess of Mach
2.7, cruising altitudes from 13 to 66 feet, high diving
speeds at Mach 3.9, and cruising altitudes up to 52,000 feet.
This aerial target replicates a family of supersonic sea-
skimming anti-ship cruise missile threats to meet critical
Test and Evaluation requirements of Ship Self-Defense Systems
(SSDS) and fleet training. The GQM-163A aerial target
supports live-fire Test and Evaluation events for AEGIS, SM-
6, SM-2, RAM, ESSM, and fleet training events. The GQM-163A
assets for this potential sale will not be physically
delivered to the Republic of Korea. They will remain in USN
custody and reserved as an allocation to the Republic of
Korea until they are required at the USN PMRF to support the
KDX-III Batch-II AEGIS Class Destroyers' (DDG 995, DDG 996
and DDG 997) CSSQT.
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 Republic of Korea
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 Republic of Korea.
____________________