[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 126 (Thursday, August 1, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5762-S5763]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION

  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.

[[Page S5763]]

  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. 24-62, 
     concerning the Air Force's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of Belgium for defense articles 
     and services estimated to cost $115 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. 24-62

     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 Belgium.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment * $78 million.
       Other $37 million.
       Total $115 million.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       One hundred ninety-six (196) Guided Bomb Unit (GBU)-53/B 
     Small Diameter Bombs-Increment II (SDB-II) All-Up-Rounds 
     (AURs)
       Non-MDE: Also included are SDB-II Weapons Load Crew 
     Trainers (WLCT); training aids and devices; spare and repair 
     parts, consumables, accessories, and repair and return 
     support; unclassified software delivery and support; 
     unclassified publications and technical documentation; major 
     modifications and maintenance support; training and training 
     equipment; munitions support and support equipment; 
     transportation support; studies and surveys; 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 (BE-D-YCA).
       (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: July 25, 2024.
       * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

               Belgium--Small Diameter Bomb-Increment II

       The Government of Belgium has requested to buy one hundred 
     ninety-six (196) Guided Bomb Unit (GBU)-53/B Small Diameter 
     Bombs-Increment II (SDB-II) All-Up-Rounds (AURs). Also 
     included are SDB-II Weapons Load Crew Trainers (WLCT); 
     training aids and devices; spare and repair parts, 
     consumables, accessories, and repair and return support; 
     unclassified software delivery and support; unclassified 
     publications and technical documentation; major modifications 
     and maintenance support; training and training equipment; 
     munitions support and support equipment; transportation 
     support; studies and surveys; 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 $115 million.
       This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals 
     and national security objectives of the United States by 
     improving the security of a NATO Ally that is a force for 
     political stability and economic progress in Europe.
       The proposed sale will improve Belgium's capability to meet 
     current and future threats by maintaining its F-35 fleet in 
     combat-ready status and providing a credible deterrent to 
     regional threats. Belgium 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 Arlington, VA. 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 Belgium.
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 24-62

     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 GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb-Increment II (SDB-II) 
     is a 250-pound class precision-guided, semiautonomous, 
     conventional, air-to-ground munition used to defeat moving 
     targets from standoff range. The SDB-II has deployable wings 
     and fins and uses Global Positioning System/Inertial 
     Navigation System (GPS/INS) guidance enabled by Selective 
     Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) or M-Code, network-
     enabled datalink (Link-16 and ultra-high frequency), and a 
     multi-mode seeker (millimeter wave radar, imaging infrared, 
     semi-active laser) to autonomously search, acquire, track, 
     and defeat a variety of moving or stationary targets, at 
     standoff range or close in, in a variety of attack modes, in 
     clear or adverse weather. The SDB-II employs a multi-effects 
     warhead (blast, fragmentation, and shaped-charge) for maximum 
     lethality against armored and soft targets. The SDB-II weapon 
     system consists of the tactical All-Up-Round (AUR) weapon, a 
     4-place common carriage system, and Mission Planning System 
     Munitions Application Program (MAP).
       The SDB-II Weapon Load Crew Trainer (WLCT) is a mass mockup 
     of the tactical AUR used for load crew and maintenance 
     training. It does not contain energetics, a live fuze, any 
     sensitive components, or hazardous material. It is not flight 
     certified.
       2. The highest level of classification of defense articles, 
     components, and services included in this potential sale is 
     SECRET.
       3. 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.
       4. A determination has been made that Belgium 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.
       5. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal have been authorized for release and export to 
     the Government of Belgium.

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