[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 172 (Wednesday, November 20, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6674-S6675]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATIONS
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.
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. 24-0G. 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 15-68 of October 19,
2015.
Sincerely,
Michael F, Miller,
Director.
Enclosures.
Transmittal No. 24-0G
Report of Enhancement or Upgrade of Sensitivity of Technology
or Capability (Sec. 36(b)(5)(c), AECA
(i) Prospective Purchase: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
(ii) Sec. 36(b)(1), AECA Transmittal No.: 15-68; Date:
October 19, 2015; Implementing Agency: Navy.
Funding Source: National Funds.
(iii) Description: On October 19, 2015 Congress was
notified by congressional certification transmittal number
15-68 of the possible sale, under Section 36(b)(1) of the
Arms Export Control Act, of a comprehensive naval
modernization program referred to as the Saudi Naval
Expansion Program II (SNEP-II). This 2015 notification of the
next phase of that program will include Multi-Mission Surface
Combatant (MMSC) ships and program office support. The MMSC
will consist of the following Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
four (4) MMSC ships (a derivative of the Freedom Variant of
the U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Class) that
incorporate five (5) COMBATSS-21 Combat Management Systems
(four (4) installed, one (1) spare) with five (5) TRS-4D
Radars (four (4) installed, one (1) spare); five (5)
Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) (Mode 4- and Mode 5-
capable) UPX-29 (four (4) installed, one (1) spare); five (5)
Compact Low Frequency Active Passive Variable Depth Sonar
(four (4) installed, one (1) spare); eight (8) MK-41 Vertical
Launch Systems (VLS) (two (2) eight-cell assemblies per ship
for 16 cells per hull); five-hundred thirty-two (532)
tactical RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM) (one
hundred twenty-eight (128) installed, twenty (20), test and
training rounds, three hundred eighty-four (384) spares);
five (5) AN/SWG-1 (V) Harpoon Ship Command Launch Control
Systems (four (4) installed (one (1) per ship), one (1)
spare); eight (8) Harpoon Shipboard Launchers (two (2)
installed four-tube assemblies per ship); forty-eight (48)
RGM-84 Harpoon Block II Missiles (thirty-two (32) installed,
sixteen (16) test and training rounds); five (5) MK-15 Mod 31
SeaRAM Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) (four (4) installed, one
(1) spare); one-hundred eighty-eight (188) RIM 116C Block II
Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM) (forty-four (44) installed,
twelve (12) test and training rounds, one hundred thirty-two
(132) spares); five (5) MK-75 76mm OTO Melara Gun Systems
(four (4) installed, one (1) spare); and forty-eight (48) 50-
caliber machine guns (forty (40) installed (ten (10) per
ship), eight (8) spares); ordnance; and Selective
Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) Global Positioning
System/Precise Positioning Service (GPS/PPS) navigation
equipment. Also included in this sale in support of the MMSC
are: study, design and construction of operations; support
and training facilities; spare and repair parts; support and
test equipment; communications equipment employing Link 16
equipment; Fire Control System/Ceros 200 Sensor and
Illuminator; 20mm Narwhal Gun; Nixie AN/SLQ-25A Surface Ship
Torpedo Defense System; MK-32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes;
WBR-2000 Electronic Support Measure and Threat Warning
System; Automatic Launch of Expendables (ALEX) Chaff and
Decoy-Launching System; ARC-210 Radios; Combined Enterprise
Regional Information Exchange System (CENTRIXS); Automated
Digital Network System; publications and technical
documentation; personnel training and training equipment;
U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and
logistics support services; and other related elements of
logistical and program support. In addition, this case
provided overarching program office support for the SNEP II
to include: U.S. Government and contractor engineering,
technical and logistics support, and other related elements
of program support to meet necessities for program execution.
The estimated cost was $11.25 billion. Major Defense
Equipment (MDE) constituted $4.30 billion of this total.
On May 24, 2019, Congress was notified by congressional
certification transmittal number 0P-19 of the inclusion of
four (4) Multifunctional Information Distribution System
Joint Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS JTRS) to be installed on
Saudi Arabia's Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) ships,
support equipment, engineering and technical support,
training, and other related elements of program support. The
estimated total value remained at $11.25 billion. The total
[[Page S6675]]
MDE value increased by $7 million to a revised MDE total of
$4.307 billion.
This transmittal notifies the inclusion of one hundred
forty-eight (148) RGM-114-L Longbow Hellfire missiles (32 for
each of 4 ships, 20 for testing); five (5) Indra Rigel
Electronic Attack Systems (1 per ship, 1 for training); and
sixteen (16) M240B machine guns (4 per ship) for installation
on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Multi-Mission Surface
Combatant (MMSC) ships. Also included is engineering and
technical support; training; and other related elements of
logistics and program support. The estimated total case value
will remain $11.25 billion. The total MDE value will increase
by $403 million to a revised $4.71 billion.
(iv) Significance: This notification is being provided as
the additional MDE items were not enumerated in the original
notification. The proposed sale will support the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia with added protection in the Persian Gulf to
meet current and future maritime threats. The Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia intends to use the capability to support
interoperability with U.S. forces and to support joint and
coalition warfighting capabilities in the region.
(v) Justification: This proposed sale will contribute to
the foreign policy and national security objectives of the
United States by ensuring the readiness of a friendly country
that continues to be an important force for political
stability and economic growth in the Middle East.
(vi) Sensitivity of Technology:
Longbow Hellfire (LBHF) is a short-range, precision strike,
air-to-surface missile that uses millimeter wave (MMW) radar
guidance. LBHF was developed as an anti-armor weapon for
helicopters. As part of the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ship
(LCS) program, the missile was modified to serve in a
shipboard surface-to-surface role. This modified missile was
adapted for use in a quad pack canister installed into the
Mk-41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) for the Multi-Mission
Surface Combatant (MMSC) ships.
The Indra Electronic Warfare (EW) suite will provide
electronic surveillance, electronic protection, and
electronic attack capabilities for the MMSC ships. The EW
suite that will be installed on the MMSC ships is comprised
of radar electronic support measures, which detect and
identify enemy communications, and active radar electronic
countermeasures, which jam and disrupt enemy radar
performance and communications. The Indra EW suite will not
be integrated with the ship's combat management system, will
not exchange classified data, and the U,S. Navy will not
provide threat library information. The EW suite is available
internationally through Indra.
The M240B machine guns will provide shipboard self-defense
for MMSC ships in the Arabian Gulf, helping to protect
critical ports and waterways while ensuring freedom of
navigation.
The Sensitivity of Technology Statement contained in the
original notification applies to additional 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: October 11, 2024.-
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