[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.

                          ____________________