[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 65 (Monday, April 15, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2735-S2736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ARMS SALES NOTIFICATIONS

  Mr. CARDIN. Madam 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. 23-61, 
     concerning the Navy's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 
     for defense articles and services estimated to cost $101.1 
     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. 23-61

     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: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment * $95.7 million.
       Other $5.4 million.
       Total $101.1 million.
       Funding Source: National Funds.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services Under Consideration for Purchase: Foreign Military 
     Sales (FMS) case SR-P-LDK was below the congressional 
     notification threshold value at $12.6 million ($9.0 million 
     in MDE), and included thirty-five (35) Multifunctional 
     Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems 
     (MIDS JTRS) and twenty-four (24) Multifunctional Information 
     Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT) Block 
     Upgrade Two (BU2) retrofit kits. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 
     has requested the case be amended to additionally include 
     fifty (50) MIDS-LVT BU2 Terminals and one hundred (100) MIDS-
     LVT BU2 retrofit kits. This amendment will push the current 
     case value, above the MDE notification threshold and thus 
     notification of the entire case is required.
       The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has also requested a new FMS 
     case that includes one hundred ninety-four (194) MIDS JTRS 
     and thirteen (13) MIDS-LVT BU2 Terminals. This case will also 
     exceed the MDE notification threshold and therefore also 
     requires notification.
       The above notification requirements are combined as 
     follows:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       Two hundred twenty-nine (229) MIDS JTRS.
       Sixty-three (63) MIDS-LVT BU2 Terminals.
       One hundred twenty-four (124) MIDS-LVT BU2 Retrofit Kits.
       Non-MDE: Also included are TacNet Tactical Radios; Low 
     Volume Terminal Cryptographic Modules; other communications

[[Page S2736]]

     equipment; support equipment; engineering and technical 
     support and assistance; training; and other related elements 
     of logistics and program support.
       (iv) Military Department: Navy (SR-P-LDK, SR-P-LHM).
       (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: April 10, 2024.
       * as defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

   Kingdom of Saudi Arabia--Multifunctional Information Distribution 
                                Systems

       The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has requested to buy fifty (50) 
     Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume 
     Terminal (MIDS-LVT) Block Upgrade 2 (BU2) Terminals and one 
     hundred (100) additional MIDS-LVT BU2 Retrofit Kits that will 
     be added to a previously implemented case whose value was 
     under the congressional notification threshold. The original 
     Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case, valued at $12.6 million, 
     included thirty-five (35) Multifunctional Information 
     Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) 
     and twenty-four (24) MIDS-LVT BU2 Retrofit Kits. The Kingdom 
     of Saudi Arabia has also requested a new FMS case that 
     includes one hundred ninety-four (194) MIDS JTRS and thirteen 
     (13) MIDS-LVT BU2 Terminals. This notification is for a 
     combined total of two hundred twenty-nine (229) MIDS JTRS; 
     sixty-three (63) MIDS-LVT BU2 Terminals; and one hundred 
     twenty-four (124) MIDS-LVT BU2 Retrofit Kits. Also included 
     are TacNet Tactical Radios; Low Volume Terminal Cryptographic 
     Modules; other communications equipment; support equipment; 
     engineering and technical support and assistance; training; 
     and other related elements of logistics and program support. 
     The estimated total cost is $101.1 million.
       This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals 
     and national security objectives of the United States by 
     improving the security of a partner country that is a force 
     for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf 
     Region.
       The proposed sale will improve the Kingdom of Saudi 
     Arabia's surveillance capability to counter current and 
     future regional threats, strengthen its homeland defense, and 
     improve interoperability with systems operated by U.S. forces 
     and other Gulf Region partners. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 
     will have no difficulty absorbing these systems 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 has not been determined as there 
     will be a competitive contractual award process after case 
     implementation, There are no known offset agreements proposed 
     in connection with this potential sale.
       Implementation of this sale will not require the assignment 
     of any U.S. Government or contractor representatives to the 
     Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 23-61

     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 Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low 
     Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT) is used by the U.S. Navy, Marine 
     Corps, and Air Force, an well as foreign partners, and allows 
     air defense units to engage incoming missiles or manned and 
     unmanned airborne platforms in day, night, and adverse 
     weather conditions. The MIDS-LVT utilizes Link-16, an 
     encrypted frequency hopping pattern to transmit tactical 
     situational awareness data. Link-16 is the standard Tactical 
     Data Link (TDL) used by both the United States and foreign 
     nations to provide real-time operational awareness for both 
     individual units as well as overall command and control 
     components.
       2. The Multifunctional Information Distribution System 
     Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) provides an advanced 
     Link-16 command, control, communications, and intelligence 
     (C3I) system incorporating high-capacity and jam-resistant 
     digital communications links for exchange of near real-time 
     tactical information, including both data and voice, among 
     air, ground, and sea elements. MIDS JTRS is a multi-channel, 
     software-defined variant of the MIDS-LVT.
       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 hardware and software elements, the 
     information could be used to develop countermeasures or 
     equivalent systems which might reduce system effectiveness or 
     be used in the development of a system with similar or 
     advanced capabilities.
       5. A determination has been made that the Kingdom of Saudi 
     Arabia 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 are authorized for release and export to the 
     Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

                          ____________________