[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 140 (Tuesday, September 10, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5924-S5925]
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)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 24-85.
concerning the Air Force's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Italy for defense articles
and services estimated to cost $738 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. 24-85
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to
Section 36(b)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended
Prospective Purchaser: Government of Italy.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment* $212 million.
Other $526 million.
Total $738 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Six (6) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) MQ-9 Block 5 Aircraft.
Three (3) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) MQ-9 Mobile Ground
Control Stations (MGCS).
Twelve (12) AN/DAS-4 Multi-spectral Target Systems.
Nine (9) LYNX AN/APY-8 Block 20A Synthetic Aperture Radars
with Maritime Wide Area Surveillance (MWAS) capability.
One (1) Embedded Global Positioning & Inertial Navigation
System (EGI).
Non-Major Defense Equipment: The following non-MDE items
will also be included: Reaper/Predator engines; Ruggedized
Aircraft Maintenance Test Stations (RAMTS); AN/ARC-210 Ultra
High Frequency (UHF)/Very High Frequency (VHF) Radios (RT-
2036); Ground Data Terminals (GDT) (line of sight link); AN/
PYQ-10 Simple Key Loaders; KIV-77 Identification Friend or
Foe (IFF) Cryptographic Applique; Transponder IFF AN/APX-119;
KYl00M Narrowband/Wideband terminal communications security
(COMSEC) device; UAS MQ-9 Fixed Ground Control System (FGCS);
satellite communications (SATCOM) Earth Terminal Subsystems
(SETSS); precision navigation; integration and test support
and equipment; aircraft or engine support equipment; spare
parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return
support; major modifications, maintenance, and maintenance
support; facilities and construction support; transportation
and airlift support; classified and unclassified software
delivery and support; classified and unclassified
publications and technical documentation; personnel training
and training equipment; special insurance and warranties;
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 (IT-D-SAB).
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: IT-D-SAG.
(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: August 15, 2024.
*As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Italy--MQ-9 Block 5 Aircraft
The Government of Italy has requested to buy six (6)
Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) MQ-9 Block 5 Aircraft; three (3)
Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) MQ-9 Mobile Ground Control
Stations (MGCS); twelve (12) AN/DAS-4 Multi-spectral Target
Systems; nine (9) LYNX AN/APY-8 Block 20A Synthetic Aperture
Radars with Maritime Wide Area Surveillance (MWAS)
capability; and one (1) Embedded Global Positioning &
Inertial Navigation System (EGI). The following non-MDE items
will also be included: Reaper/Predator engines; Ruggedized
Aircraft Maintenance Test Stations (RAMTS); AN/ARC-210 Ultra
High Frequency (UHF)/Very High Frequency (VHF) Radios (RT-
2036); Ground Data Terminals (GDT) (line of sight link); AN/
PYQ-10 Simple Key Loaders; KIV-77 Identification Friend or
Foe (IFF) Cryptographic Applique; Transponder IFF AN/APX-119;
KYl00M Narrowband/Wideband terminal communications security
(COMSEC) device; UAS MQ-9 Fixed Ground Control System (FGCS);
satellite, communications (SATCOM) Earth Terminal Subsystems
(SETSS); precision navigation; integration and test support
and equipment; aircraft or engine support equipment; spare
parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return
support; major modifications, maintenance, and maintenance
support; facilities and construction support; transportation
and airlift support; classified and unclassified software
delivery and support; classified and unclassified
publications and technical documentation; personnel training
and training equipment; special insurance and warranties;
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 $738 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 Italy's capability to meet
current and future threats by expanding and improving the
Italian Air Force's MQ-9 fleet and advancing U.S. and NATO
policy goals of security and interoperability. Italy already
has MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft with strike capabilities in its
inventory and will have no difficulty absorbing these
articles 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 General Atomics, located
in San Diego, CA. 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 Italy.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 24-85
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:
1. The MQ-9A Block 5 is a Medium Altitude Long-Endurance
(MALE) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) that can be used for
surveillance, military reconnaissance, and targeting
missions. Real-time missions are flown under the control of a
pilot in a Ground Control Station (GCS). A datalink is
maintained that uplinks control commands and downlinks video
with telemetry data. Line-of-Sight (LOS) communication is
enabled through C-Band datalink and Beyond-Line-of-Sight
(BLOS) communication is enabled through Ku-Band Satellite
Communication (SATCOM). Control of the aircraft and payload
are done through direct manual
[[Page S5925]]
inputs by the crew or through preprogrammed mission.
Preprogrammed missions are planned and uploaded by the pilots
via the GCS and are executed through the control of an
onboard suite of redundant computers and sensors. Payload
imagery and data are downlinked to the GCS. The pilot may
initiate pre-programmed missions once the aircraft is
airborne and lands the aircraft when the mission is
completed. Pilots can change preprogrammed mission parameters
as often as required. When operated BLOS, aircraft control is
given to other strategically placed Ground Control Stations--
permitting remote split operations (RSO). The MQ-9A Block 5
is designed to carry 850 pounds of internal payload with
maximum fuel and can carry multiple mission payloads aloft.
The MQ-9A Block 5 will be configured for the following
payloads: Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR), Synthetic
Aperture Radar (SAR), Electronic Support Measures (ESM),
Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), laser designators, and various
weapons packages.
a. The GCS can be either fixed or mobile; both versions
incorporate workstations that allow operators to control and
monitor the aircraft, as well as record and exploit
downlinked payload data.
b. The M-Code capable Embedded Global Positioning System/
Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) (EGI), with an embedded
GPS Precise Positioning Service (PPS) Receiver Application
Module-Standard Electronic Module (GRAM-S/M), is a self-
contained navigation system that provides acceleration,
velocity, position, attitude, platform azimuth, magnetic and
true heading, altitude, body angular rates, time tags, and
coordinated universal time (UTC) synchronized time. The
embedded GRAM-S/M enables access to both the encrypted P(Y)
and M-Code signals, providing protection against active
spoofing attacks, enhanced military exclusivity, integrity,
and anti-jam.
c. The C-Band Line-of-Sight (LOS) Ground Data Terminals and
Ku-Band SATCOM GA-ASI Transportable Earth Stations (GATES),
or equivalent, provide command, control, and data acquisition
for the MQ-9.
2. The Ruggedized Aircraft Maintenance Test Station (RAMTS)
is a mobile test station used to perform diagnostic and
operational checks on the MQ-9.
3. The AN/APY-8 Lynx Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and
Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) system provides all-
weather surveillance, tracking and targeting for military and
commercial customers from manned and unmanned vehicles.
4. The AN/APX-119 is an Identification Friend or Foe (IFF)
transponder that provides military aircraft with a secure
combat identification capability to help reduce fratricide
and enhance battlespace awareness. It also provides safe
access to civilian airspace.
5. The KIV-77 is a cryptographic applique for IFF. It can
be loaded with Mode 5 classified elements.
6. The KY-100M is a cryptographic-modernized lightweight
terminal for secure voice and data communications. The KY-
100M provides wideband as well as narrowband half-duplex
communication. Operating in tactical ground, marine, and
airborne applications, the KY-100M enables secure
communication with a broad range of radio and satellite
equipment.
7. The AN/PYQ-10 Simple Key Loader is a handheld device
used for securely receiving, storing, and transferring data
between compatible cryptographic and communications
equipment.
8. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is
SECRET.
9. 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.
10. A determination has been made that Italy 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.
11. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal have been authorized for release and export to
the Government of Italy.
____________________