[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 140 (Tuesday, September 10, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5913-S5914]
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.
[[Page S5914]]
24-95, concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Croatia for defense services
estimated to cost $390 million. We will issue a news release
to notify the public of this proposed sale upon delivery of
this letter to your office.
Sincerely,
J. Aaron Harding
(For Michael F. Miller, Acting Director).
Enclosures.
Transmittal No. 24-95
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 Croatia.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $340 million.
Other $50 million.
Total $390 million.
Funding Source: National Funds.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Eight (8) M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems
(HIMARS).
Twenty-four (24) M30A2 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System
(GMLRS) Alternative Warhead (AW) Pods with Insensitive
Munitions Propulsion System (IMPS).
Twenty-four (24) M31A2 GMLRS-Unitary High Explosive (HE)
Pods with IMPS.
Two (2) M1152 High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles
(HMMWV) with Next Generation SECM (NG SECM).
Eight (8) M1152 HMMWVs with Command and Control
Communication's Shelters.
Thirty-six (36) Defense Advanced OPS Receivers (DAGR).
Non-Major Defense Equipment: The following non-MDE items
will also be included: Low Cost Reduced Range Practice Rocket
(LCRRPR) pods; AN/PRC-117G radios; AN/PRC-158 radios; AN/PRC-
160 radios; Common Fire Control Systems (CFCS); International
Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems (IFATDS); software;
training; resupply vehicles; technical assistance; and other
related elements of program and logistic support.
(iv) Military Department: Army (HR-B-UCK).
(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: August 30, 2024.
*As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Croatia--M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems
The Government of Croatia has requested to buy eight (8)
M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS); twenty-
four (24) M30A2 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS)
Alternative Warhead (AW) Pods with Insensitive Munitions
Propulsion System (IMPS); twenty-four (24) M31A2 GMLRS-
Unitary High Explosive (HE) Pods with IMPS; two (2) Ml152
High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV) with Next
Generation SECM (NG SECM); eight (8) Ml152 HMMWVs with
Command and Control Communications Shelters; and thirty-six
(36) Defense Advanced OPS Receivers (DAGR). The following
non-MDE items will also be included: Low Cost Reduced Range
Practice Rocket (LCRRPR) pods; AN/PRC-117G radios; AN/PRC-158
radios; AN/PRC-160 radios; Common Fire Control Systems
(CFCS); International Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems
(IFATDS); software; training; resupply vehicles; technical
assistance; and other related elements of program and
logistic support. The estimated total program cost is $390
million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security of the United States by improving the
security of a NATO Ally that continues to be an important
force for political stability and economic progress in
Europe.
The proposed sale will improve Croatia's capability to
deter current and future threats and support coalition
operations as well as promote interoperability with the
United States and other NATO forces. Croatia 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 will be Lockheed Martin, located
in Grand Prairie, TX. There are no known offset agreements in
connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will require the
assignment of four U.S. Government and four contractor
representatives to travel to Croatia for program management
reviews to support the program. Travel is expected to occur
approximately twice per year as needed 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. 24-95
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 M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS)
is a C-130 transportable wheeled launcher mounted on a 5-ton
Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles truck chassis. HIMARS is
the modem Army-fielded version of the Multiple Launch Rocket
System (MLRS) M270 launcher, and can fire all the MLRS Family
of Munitions (FOM) including Guided Multiple Launch Rocket
System (GMLRS) variants and the Army Tactical Missile System
(ATACMS). Utilizing the MLRS FOM, the HIMARS can engage
targets between 15 and 300 kilometers with Global Positioning
System (GPS)-aided precision accuracy.
2. The GMLRS M3IA2 Unitary is the Army's primary munition
for units fielding the Ml42 HlMARS and M270Al Multiple
Launcher Rocket System (MLRS) launchers. The M3l Unitary is a
solid propellant artillery rocket that uses Global
Positioning System/Pre,cise Positioning Service (GPS/PPS)-
aided inertial guidance provided by Selective Availability
Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) or M-Code. It accurately and
quickly delivers a single high-explosive blast fragmentation
warhead to targets at ranges from 15-70 kilometers. The
rockets are fired from a launch pod container that also
serves as the storage and transportation container for the
rockets. Each rocket pod holds six (6) total rockets.
3. The M30A2 GMLRS Alternative Warhead shares a greater
than ninety percent commonality with the M3IA1 Unitary. The
primary difference between the, GMLRS-U and GMLRS-AW is the
replacement of the Unitary's high explosive warhead with a
200-pound fragmentation warhead of pre-formed tungsten
penetrators which are optimized for effectiveness against
large area and imprecisely located targets. The munitions
otherwise share a common motor, GPS/PPS-aided inertial
guidance and control system, fusing mechanism, multi-option
height of burst capability, and effective range of 15-70
kilometers.
4. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is
SECRET.
5. 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 systm with similar or advanced capabilities.
6. A determination has been made that Croatia can provide
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.
7. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal are authorized for release and export to the
Government of Croatia.
____________________