[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 20, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2461-S2462]
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)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 23-90,
concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Bahrain for defense articles
and services estimated to cost $2.2 billion. We will issue a
news release to notify the public of this proposed sale upon
delivery of this letter to your office.
Sincerely,
Mike Miller,
(For James A. Hursch, Director).
Enclosures.
Transmittal No. 23-90
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 Bahrain.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $1.6 billion.
Other $0.6 billion.
Total $2.2 billion.
Funding Source: National Funds.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Fifty (50) M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams Main Battle Tanks.
Four (4) M88A2 HERCULES Combat Recovery Vehicles.
Eight (8) M1110 Joint Assault Bridges.
Eight (8) M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles.
Eight (8) Heavy Assault Scissor Bridge (HASB).
One hundred (100) M240 Coaxial 7.62mm Machine Guns.
Three (3) AGT1500 Gas Turbine Engines.
Six thousand (6,000) 120mm M1002 Target Practice
Multipurpose Tracer (TPMP-T) Projectiles.
Five thousand seven hundred sixty (5,760) 120mm M1147 High
Explosive Multipurpose Tracers.
Non-MDE: Also included are M2A1.50 caliber machine guns;
Common Remote Operated Weapons Station Low Profile (CROWS-
LP); Forward Repair System; M250 smoke grenade launchers;
service and training ammunition; M1300/M1302 Enhanced Heavy
Equipment Transporter System (EHETS); M978A4 Heavy Expanded
Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) tanker and Load Handling
System (LHS); M074A1 Palletized Load Systems and trailers and
flat racks; support and test equipment; integration and test
support; spare and repair parts; Special Tools and Test
Equipment (STTE); communications equipment; Selective
Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM)-based Global
Positioning System (GPS) receivers; software delivery and
support; Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) equipment;
publications and technical manuals; maintenance trainers;
training equipment; U.S. Government and contractor
engineering, technical, and logistics support services; Next
Generation Automatic Test System (NGATS); and other related
elements of logistics and program support.
(iv) Military Department: Army (BA-B-ULL).
(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: March 19, 2024.
*As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Bahrain--M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks
The Government of Bahrain has requested to buy fifty (50)
M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams Main Battle Tanks; four (4) M88A2 HERCULES
Combat Recovery Vehicles; eight (8) M1110 Joint Assault
Bridges; eight (8) M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles; eight (8)
Heavy Assault Scissor Bridge (HASB); one hundred (100) M240
Coaxial 7.62mm machine guns; three (3) AGT1500 Gas Turbine
engines; six thousand (6,000) 120mm M1002 Target Practice
Multipurpose Tracer (TPMP-T) projectiles; and five thousand
seven hundred sixty (5,760) 120mm M1147 High Explosive
Multipurpose Tracers. Also included are M2A1 .50 caliber
machine guns; Common Remote Operated Weapons Station Low
Profile (CROWS-LP); Forward Repair System; M250 smoke grenade
launchers; service and training ammunition; M1300/M1302
Enhanced Heavy Equipment Transporter System (EHETS); M978A4
Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) tanker and
Load Handling System (LHS); M074A1 Palletized Load Systems
and trailers and flat racks; support and test equipment;
integration and test support; spare and repair parts; Special
Tools and Test Equipment (STTE); communications equipment;
Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM)-based
Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers; software delivery
and support; Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) equipment;
publications and technical manuals; maintenance trainers;
training equipment; U.S. Government and contractor
engineering, technical, and logistics support services; Next
Generation Automatic Test System (NGATS); and other related
elements of logistics and program support. The estimated
total cost is $2.2 billion.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security objectives of the United States by helping
to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally that is an
important force for political stability and economic progress
in the Middle East.
The proposed sale will improve Bahrain's capability to meet
current and future threats by providing a credible force that
can deter adversaries and provide the capability to
participate in regional operations with the United States and
other U.S. partner nations. Bahrain 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 General Dynamics Land
Systems, Sterling Heights, MI; BAE Systems, York, PA;
Leonardo DRS, Arlington, VA; Honeywell Aerospace, Phoenix,
AZ; RTX Corporation, McKinney, TX; and Lockheed Martin,
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 require the
assignment of one (1) U.S. Government and thirty (30) U.S.
contractor representatives to travel to Bahrain for a
duration of up to five years to support equipment fielding
and training.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 23-90
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to
Section 36(b)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act
Annex Item No. vii
(vii) Sensitivity of Technology:
[[Page S2462]]
1. The M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams Tank is a third-generation
American Main Battle Tank produced by General Dynamics Land
Systems and named for General Creighton Abrams. The M1A2
SEPv3 (System Enhancement Package version 3) features include
a multi-fuel turbine engine, composite armor, an advanced
computer fire control system, separate ammunition storage in
a blow-out compartment, and 120mm main gun. Extensive
improvements have been integrated into the latest M1A2 SEPv3
configuration. These improvements include improved digital
systems, increased electrical power margin to support demands
of future technologies, line replaceable modules (LRM) to
reduce operational support costs, ammunition data link to
support new tank main gun rounds, and an auxiliary power unit
(APU). M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams Tank components considered to
contain sensitive technology in the proposed sale are as
follows:
a. Export Thermal Imaging System (TIS) and Export
Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer (CITV): The TIS and
CITV constitute a target acquisition system which, when
operated with other tank systems, gives the tank crew a
substantial battlefield advantage over adversary. The TIS
provides the Abrams M1A2 crew with the ability to effectively
aim and fire the tank main armament system under a broad
range of adverse conditions. The TIS can be operated and
viewed by the tank gunner or tank commander and is the main
sighting system for the tank or main gun (cannon). The CITV
provides the same target acquisition system as the TIS but
through a separate system that can be controlled and operated
independent of the TIS.
b. Special Armor (FMS-released version of special armor):
Major components of special armor are fabricated in sealed
modules and in serialized removable subassemblies.
c. 120 millimeter (mm) Main Gun (Cannon) and M256 Gun
Barrel: The Abrams 120mm main gun system is composed of a
120mm smoothbore gun (cannon), also referred to as the M256
gun barrel, manufactured at Watervliet Arsenal. It can fire
armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS),
other warheads, and combustible cartridge case ammunition.
d. AGT-1500 Gas Turbine Propulsion System: The use of AGT-
1500 gas turbine propulsion system in the M1A2 is a unique
application of armored vehicle power pack technology. The
hardware is composed of the AGT-1500 engine and transmission.
e. Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station--Low Profile
(CROWS-LP) (M153A2E1): The CROWS-LP allows for remote
operation of the M2HB, M2A1, M240B, and M240 machine gun
systems.
f. Ammunition Data Link (ADL): The ADL consists of
hardware, electronics, and software. The ADL is required to
effectively fire the latest generation of ``smart'' 120mm
main gun ammunition. The ADL transmits data to main gun smart
ammunition to increase its capability and effectiveness.
g. Driver Vision Enhancer: The AN/VAS-5 Driver Vision
Enhancer--Abrams (DVE-A)and Rear-View Sensor System (RVSS),
M88 (DVE-CV), and JAB (DVE & RVSS) are uncooled thermal
imaging systems. The DVE-A (CV) and RVSS allow for tactical
vehicle movement in support of operational missions in all
environmental conditions (day/night and all weather) and
provides enhanced driving capability during limited
visibility conditions (darkness, smoke, dust, fog, etc.).
h. AN/PSN-13 Defense Advanced Global Positioning System
(GPS) Receiver (DAGR): The DAGR is a handheld GPS receiver
used by the U.S. Army and select foreign military services.
DAGR is a military-grade, dual-frequency receiver and has the
security hardware necessary to decode GPS band signals. The
DAGR is a handheld GPS receiver which utilizes Selective
Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) security. It is
used for the Abrams Tank, the M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery
Combat Utility Lifting Extraction System (HERCULES) Combat
Recovery Vehicle, and the Joint Assault Bridge.
i. GPS with M-Code capability: M-Code is designed to
enhance military position, navigation, and timing
capabilities. M-Code is designed with improved resistance to
existing and emerging threats to GPS, such as jamming and
spoofing (i.e., detecting and rejecting false signals).
j. AN/PRC-158: The AN/PRC-158 is a multiband handheld
radio. It is a portable, compact, tactical, software-defined
combat-net radio manufactured by L3/Harris Corporation. It is
used for the Abrams Tank and the M88A2 HERCULES Combat
Recovery Vehicle.
k. PVS-14 Night Vision Monocular: The PVS-14 Night Vision
Monocular is a rugged, lightweight, multi-purpose night
vision device that has repeatedly proven itself in combat.
The PVS-14 can be used as a handheld device or mounted on a
head harness.
2. M88A2 HERCULES Combat Recovery Vehicle: The M88A2
HERCULES is designed to recover damaged Abrams M1 Main Battle
Tanks from the battlefield. The vehicle can extricate M1s and
other combat vehicles that have become bogged down or
entangled and can additionally repair or replace damaged
parts under fire. The M88A2 main winch is capable of 70-ton
single line recovery and a 140-ton 2:1 recovery when used
with a 140-ton pulley. The A-frame boom of the M88A2 can lift
35 tons when used in conjunction with the spade down. The
spade can be used for light earth moving and to anchor the
vehicle when using the main winch. The M88A2 employs an
Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) to provide auxiliary electrical
and hydraulic power when the main engine is not in operation;
the APU can also be used to start other vehicles.
3. M1110 Joint Assault Bridge (JAB): The M1110 JAB is a
fully tracked armored Combat Engineer System designed to
provide assault bridging capabilities to armored forces. The
JAB System consists of an M1A1 Abrams chassis (with A2 heavy
suspension) and a hydraulic bridge launch mechanism that will
launch and retrieve the Heavy Assault Scissor Bridge (HASB).
4. M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle: The M1150 is a tracked,
Combat Engineer System designed to breach mine fields and
complex obstacles and provide in-stride breaching capability.
It provides crew protection and vehicle survivability while
having the speed and mobility to keep pace with the maneuver
force.
5. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is
SECRET.
6. 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.
7. A determination has been made that Bahrain 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.
8. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal have been authorized for release and export to
the Government of Bahrain.
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