[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 103 (Tuesday, June 18, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4146-S4147]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ARMS SALES NOTIFICATIONS

  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. 24-52, 
     concerning the Air Force's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of the Netherlands for defense 
     articles and services estimated to cost $678 million. 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. 24-52

     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 the Netherlands.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment * $607 million.
       Other $71 million.
       Total $678 million.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       One hundred seventy-four (174) Advanced Medium-Range Air-
     to-Air Missiles-Extended Range (AMRAAM-ER).
       Four (4) AMRAAM-C8 guidance sections.
       Non-MDE: Also included is the following non-MDE: AMRAAM 
     containers, load trainers, control section spares and support 
     equipment; KGV-135A cryptographic devices; Common Munition 
     Built-in-Test (BIT)/Reprogramming Equipment (CMBRE); ADU-891

[[Page S4147]]

     Adaptor Group Test Sets; integration and test support and 
     equipment; munitions support and support equipment; spare 
     parts, consumables, and accessories, and repair and return 
     support; classified software delivery and support; classified 
     and unclassified publications, and technical documentation; 
     personnel training and training equipment; studies and 
     surveys; Contractor Logistics Support (CLS); U.S. Government 
     and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support 
     services; and other related elements of logistics and program 
     support.
       (iv) Military Department: Air Force (NE-D-YAJ).
       (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: June 13, 2024.
       *As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          Policy Justification

  The Netherlands--Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles-Extended 
                                 Range

       The Government of the Netherlands has requested to buy one-
     hundred seventy-four (174) Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air 
     Missiles-Extended Range (AMRAAM-ER) and four AMRAAM-C8 
     guidance sections. Also included is the following non-MDE: 
     AMRAAM containers, load trainers, control section spares and 
     support equipment; KGV-135A cryptographic devices; Common 
     Munition Built-in-Test (BIT)/Reprogramming Equipment(CMBRE); 
     ADU-891 Adaptor Group Test Sets; integration and test support 
     and equipment; munitions support and support equipment; spare 
     parts, consumables, and accessories, and repair and return 
     support; classified software delivery and support; classified 
     and unclassified publications, and technical documentation; 
     personnel training and training equipment; studies and 
     surveys; Contractor Logistics Support (CLS); 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 $678 million.
       This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals 
     and national security objectives of the United States by 
     improving the security of a North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization (NATO) Ally that is a force for political 
     stability and economic progress in Europe.
       The proposed sale will improve the Netherlands' capability 
     to meet current and future threats by providing advanced air 
     defense missiles as part of an upgraded Medium Range Air 
     Defense (MRAD) system and thereby enhancing its air defense 
     capability. This enhanced capability will protect the 
     Netherlands and local allied forces, and will significantly 
     improve the Netherlands' contribution to NATO Integrated Air 
     and Missile Defense. The Netherlands will have no difficulty 
     absorbing these articles and services 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 will be RTX Corporation, located 
     in Camden, AR. The purchaser typically requires offsets. Any 
     offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the 
     purchaser and the contractor.
       Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the 
     assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor 
     representatives to the Netherlands.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 24-52

     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 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) is 
     a supersonic, air-launched, aerial intercept guided missile 
     featuring digital technology and microminiature solid-state 
     electronics. AMRAAM capabilities include look-down/shoot-
     down, multiple launches against multiple targets, resistance 
     to electronic countermeasures, and interception of high- and 
     lowflying and maneuvering targets. This potential sale will 
     include AMRAAM guidance sections, control sections, warhead 
     spares, and containers.
       2. The Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile-Extended 
     Range (AMRAAM-ER) is a surface-launched missile that utilizes 
     an AIM-120C-7 or C-8 seeker and warhead. It is joined with a 
     separate control section and rocket motor for surface launch, 
     making it different from the traditional air-launched AMRAAM. 
     This provides extended range and altitude as well as higher 
     speed and maneuverability.
       3. The KGV-135A is a high-speed, general purpose encryptor/
     decryptor module used for wideband data encryption.
       4. The Common Munitions Built-In-Test (BIT)/Reprogramming 
     Equipment (CMBRE) is support equipment used to interface with 
     weapon systems to initiate and report BIT results, and upload 
     and download flight software. CMBRE supports multiple 
     munitions platforms with a range of applications that perform 
     preflight checks, periodic maintenance checks, loading of 
     Operational Flight Program (OFP) data, loading of munitions 
     mission planning data, loading of Global Positioning System 
     (GPS) cryptographic keys, and declassification of munitions 
     memory.
       5. The ADU-891 Adapter Group Test Set provides the physical 
     and electrical interface between the CMBRE and the missile.
       6. The highest level of classification of defense articles, 
     components, and services included in this potential sale is 
     SECRET.
       7. 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.
       8. A determination has been made that the Netherlands can 
     provide substantially the same degree of protection for the 
     sensitive technology being released as the U.S. Government. 
     This proposed sale is necessary in furtherance of the U.S. 
     foreign policy and national security objectives outlined in 
     the Policy Justification.
       9. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal have been authorized for release and export to 
     the Government of the Netherlands.

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