[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 167 (Wednesday, November 13, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6547-S6548]
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)(5)(C) of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA),
as amended, we are forwarding Transmittal No. 24-1B. This
notification relates to enhancements or upgrades from the
level of sensitivity of technology or capability described in
the Section 36(b)(1) AECA certification 19-66 of January 14,
2020.
Sincerely,
Michael F. Miller,
Director.
Enclosure.
Transmittal No. 24-1B
Report of Enhancement or Upgrade of Sensitivity of Technology
or Capability (Sec. 36(b)(5)(C), AECA)
(i) Purchaser: Government of Australia.
(ii) Sec. 36(b)(1), AECA Transmittal No.: 19-66; Date:
January 14, 2020; Implementing Agency: Navy.
(iii) Description: On January 14, 2020, Congress was
notified by congressional certification transmittal number
19-66 of the possible sale, under Section 36(b)(1) of the
Arms Export Contract Act, of long lead items, engineering
development activities, and other defense services to support
the Australian Surface Combatant Program, including the
modernization of three Hobart Class Destroyers, and
construction of the first three (of nine total) Hunter Class
Frigates which included: three (3) shipsets of the AEGIS
Weapon System (AWS) in the MK 6 Mod 1 configuration to
support the Modernization of the Hobart Class DDGs; three (3)
shipsets of the AEGIS Weapon System (AWS) in the MK 6 Mod 1
configuration to support the New Construction of the Hunter
Class FFGs; three (3) shipsets of the MK 41 Vertical
Launching Systems (VLS) for installation on the Hunter Class
Frigates; three (3) shipsets (2 mounts per ship) of the
Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) for installation on the Hunter
Class Frigates; two (2) Australia AEGIS Weapon System
Computer Programs (one for Hobart Class, one for Hunter
Class), and associated computer programs for AEGIS Combat
System components for installation on both the Hobart and
Hunter Class ships; six (6) shipsets of the Global
Positioning System (GPS)--Based Positioning, Navigation and
Timing Service (GPNTS) Navigation Systems and associated
Advanced Digital Antenna Production (ADAP) antennas and
support equipment for installation on the Hobart and Hunter
Class ships; six (6) shipsets of upgraded Cooperative
Engagement Capability (CEC) equipment for installation on the
Hobart and Hunter Class ships; six (6) shipsets of Command
and Control Processor (C2P) equipment for installation on the
Hobart and Hunter Class ships; and eight (8) shipsets of
Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint
Tactical Radio Set (MIDS JTRS) terminals for installation on
[[Page S6548]]
the Hobart and Hunter Class ships. Also included were: three
(3) shipsets of MK 34 Gun Weapon System (GWS) modification
equipment to include the Electro Optical Sight System and
changes supporting Naval Fires Planner and associated TacLink
Control System for installation on the Hobart Class
Destroyers; three (3) shipsets of MK 34 Gun Weapon System
components to include the MK 160 Gun Computing System and the
MK 20 Electro Optical Sight System, and the Naval Fires
Planner and associated TacLink Control System for
installation on the Hunter Class Frigates; three (3) shipsets
of: Mode 5/S capable Identification Friend or Foe (IFF)
Systems; Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplexing System (GEDMS);
AN/WSN-7 Ring Laser Gyrocompass Inertial Navigation Systems;
WSN-9 Digital Hybrid Speed Log systems; Common Data Link
Management System (CDLMS); and Global Command and Control
System-Maritime (GCCS-M) systems for installation on the
Hunter Class Frigates; six (6) shipsets of AN/SRQ-4 Hawklink
and SQQ-89 Sonobuoy processing equipment for installation on
the Hobart and Hunter Class ships; defense services for
development and integration of a capability upgrade for the
installed AEGIS Combat System on the Hobart Class Destroyer,
including Integrated Air and Missile Defense capability and
growth capability for Ballistic Missile Defense; development,
integration and testing support for installation of a AEGIS
Combat System for installation on the Hunter Class FFG, A
Global Combat Ship Type 26 (BAE) platform, including the
integration of the indigenous CEAFAR 2 Phased Array Radar
(CEA Industries) with the AEGIS Combat System (including
Cooperative Engagement Capability) and the primary radar
sensor and illuminator; integration of selected Australian
provided combat system components including Undersea Warfare
and Ship Self Defense for installation on the Hobart and
Hunter Class ships; integration of the MH-60R helicopter into
the AEGIS Combat System for installation on the Hobart and
Hunter Class ships; procurement and delivery of installation
support material, special purpose test equipment, initial
logistics outfitting, spares and other ancillary equipment to
support the installation and integration of AEGIS Combat
System equipment in the Hobart and Hunter Class ship
platforms; development of technical documentation to support
both programs; provision of logistics and other support
services to support the Hobart and Hunter Class ships;
procurement, staging, delivery and installation support for
AEGIS Combat System equipment for the Hobart and Hunter Class
ships; provision of training support for curriculum
development, training tool development, front-end analysis,
and crew training for the Hobart and Hunter Class ships; U.S.
Government and contractor representative engineering,
logistics, and technical services; and other related elements
of logistics and program support for the Hobart and Hunter
Class ships. The estimated total value was $1.5 billion.
Major Defense Equipment (MDE) constituted $0.5 billion of
this total.
This transmittal notifies the inclusion of additional
equipment and services required to modernize Hobart Class
Destroyers and Hunter Class Frigates for service in the Royal
Australian Navy. Included are the following MDE items: three
(3) AN/WSN-12 Ring Laser Gyrocompasses; three (3) MIDS On-
Ship Modernization (MOS Mod) equipment suites; four (4) 5-
inch 54-caliber MK 45 lightweight gun carcasses; and three
(3) Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control Systems (TTWCS). The
following non-MDE items are also included: personnel training
and U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical,
and logistics support services. The estimated total value of
these new items and services is $641 million. The new MDE
items will not result in a net increase in the estimated
total MDE value, which will remain $0.5 billion. The
estimated total value of the new non-MDE items is $0.5
billion, which will result in an increase in non-MDE value to
$1.5 billion. The estimated total case value will increase by
$0.5 billion to $2.0 billion
(iv) Significance: This notification is being provided as
the additional MDE items were not enumerated in the original
notification. The inclusion of this MDE represents an
increase in capability over what was previously notified. The
proposed articles and services will support Australia's
ability to effectively maintain its current force projection
capability that enhances interoperability with U.S. forces
well into the future.
(v) Justification: This proposed sale will support the
foreign policy and national security objectives of the United
States. Australia is one of our most important allies in the
Western Pacific. The strategic location of this political and
economic power contributes significantly to ensuring peace
and economic stability in the region. It is vital to the U.S.
national interest to assist our ally in developing and
maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability.
(vi) Sensitivity of Technology:
AN/WSN-7 is the U.S. Navy's Inertial Navigation System
(INS) and is part of an overall Position-Navigation-Time
(PNT) solution for the AEGIS Combat System. WSN-12 is the
U.S. Navy's next generation INS. WSN-7/12 measures the
movement of the ship, determines position and direction, and
accepts Global Positioning System (GPS) updates to compute
precise movement, position, and direction rates.
Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) On-
Ship Modernized (MOS Mod) integrates a MIDS/Joint Tactical
Radio Set (JTRS) terminal with Navy Ship Input Output (NSIO)
to produce a high power (1 kW) Link-16 radio frequency
output. It is designed to operate with the Command and
Control Processor (C2P).
5-inch 54-caliber MK 45 lightweight gun carcasses have been
removed from decommissioned U.S. Navy combatants and are
being provided as-is for refurbishment and installation on
Hunter Class Frigates.
The Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System (TTWCS) is the
U.S. Navy's shipboard component for command and control,
mission planning, and distribution of Tomahawk tactical and
strike data for the Tomahawk missile.
The Sensitivity of Technology statement contained in the
original notification applies to items reported here.
The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is
SECRET.
(vii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: November 8, 2024.
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