[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 172 (Wednesday, November 20, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6675-S6676]
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)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 21-15
concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for defense
articles and services estimated to cost $139 million. We will
issue a news release to notify the public of this proposed
sale upon delivery of this letter to your office.
Sincerely,
Michael F. Miller,
Director.
Enclosures.
transmittal no. 21-15
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: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $9 million.
Other $130 million.
Total $139 million.
Funding Source: National Funds.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Ten thousand (10,000) M456 Series, 105mm, High Explosive
Anti-Tank Tracer Cartridges.
Non-MDE: Also included are various types of tank, howitzer,
and machine gun ammunition; propelling charges; fuzes;
primers; grenades; support and test equipment; integration
and test support; spare and repair parts; software delivery
and support; publications and technical documentation;
personnel training and training equipment; U.S. Government
and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support
services; storage; and other related elements of logistical
and program support.
(iv) Military Department: Army (SR-B-UDA, SR-B-UDC).
(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: October 11, 2024.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
policy justification
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia--Ammunition for Artillery Systems,
Machine Guns, and Tanks
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has requested to buy ten
thousand (10,000) M456 series, 105mm, High Explosive Anti-
Tank Tracer cartridges. Also included are various types of
tank, howitzer, and machine gun ammunition; propelling
charges; fuzes; primers; grenades; support and test
equipment; integration and test support; spare and repair
parts; software delivery and support; publications and
technical documentation; personnel training and training
equipment; U.S. Government and contractor engineering,
technical and logistics support services; storage; and other
related elements of logistical and program support. The total
estimated cost is $139 million.
This proposed sale will support U.S. foreign policy and
national security objectives by helping to improve the
security of a friendly country that continues to be an
important force for political stability and economic growth
in the Middle East.
The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia's capability to
meet current and future threats and improve interoperability
with systems operated by U.S. Forces and other Gulf
countries. Saudi Arabia's continued investment in its defense
capabilities is crucial to protecting its borders, energy
infrastructure, and its residents. Saudi Arabia will have no
difficulty absorbing these munitions into its armed forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not
alter the basic military balance in the region.
This ammunition will come from a combination of U.S. Army
stock and new procurement. The procurement vendors are
unknown at this time. The purchaser typically requests
offsets. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations
between the purchaser and the contractor.
Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the
assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor
representatives to Saudi Arabia.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
transmittal no. 21-15
Notice of Proposed lssuance 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 105mm M456A2 High Explosive, Antitank Multipurpose,
with Tracer, Cartridge (DODIC C508) is designed for use
against armored targets and contains Composition B Explosive
(an explosive consisting of castable mixtures of RDX and TNT)
and a copper shaped charge liner inside a steel body. Saudi
Arabia will use them in their M60A3 tanks.
2. The 155mm M795 High Explosive Projectile (DODIC D529),
will be used in Saudi Arabia's M109 series howitzers. This
item is employed against personnel; trucks; electronic
surveillance and target acquisition devices; supply points;
command and control and communications (C3) installations;
and mechanized and armored forces.
3. The 155mm M231 Propelling Charge (DODIC DA12) will be
used in Saudi Arabia's M109 series howitzers. The Modular
Artillery Charge System (MACS) consists of two propelling
charge module types, the M231 and the M232/M232A1, and their
associated packaging. The system is compatible with all
current and planned 155mm field artillery weapons.
4. The 155mm M232A1 Propelling Charge (DODIC DA13), will be
used in Saudi Arabia's M109 series howitzers. The Modular
Artillery Charge System (MACS) consists of two propelling
charge module types, the M231 and
[[Page S6676]]
the M232/M232A1, and their associated packaging. The system
is compatible with all current and planned 155mm field
artillery weapons.
5. The .50 Cal M8 Armor Piercing Incendiary/M20 Armor
Piercing Incendiary-Tracer, linked 4/1 (DODIC A576), is
machine gun ammunition. The cartridges contain a manganese
molybdenum steel core, a point filler of incendiary
composition, and a lead-antimony base seal. This
configuration combines the functions of an armor piercing
bullet and an incendiary bullet, and is used against
flammable targets and light-armored or unarmored targets,
concrete shelters, and similar bullet-resisting targets. The
addition of a tracer in the M20 enables the shooter to follow
the projectile trajectory to make aiming corrections.
6. The M67 Fragmentation Hand Grenade (DODIC G881) is an
anti-personnel munition used to supplement small arms fire
against enemies in close combat.
7. The M739A1 Artillery Point Detonating/Delay Fuze (DODIC
N340) will be used in Saudi Arabia's M109 series howitzers.
This item is the U.S. Army's preferred, primary fuze for
105mm and 155mm projectiles to address point detonating/delay
artillery functions.
8. The M82 Percussion Primer (DODIC N523) will be used in
Saudi Arabia's M109 series howitzers.
9. The 120MM Insensitive Munitions High Explosive--Tracer
Non-US Inventory will-be used in the M1A2 tanks. Insensitive
munitions are munitions that are designed to withstand
stimuli representative of severe but credible accidents. The
current range of stimuli are shock, heat and adjacent
detonating munitions.
10. The highest level of classification of defense
articles, components, and services included in this potential
sale is UNCLASSIFIED.
11. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain
knowledge of the hardware and software elements, the
information could be used to develop countermeasures or
equivalent systems which might reduce system effectiveness or
be used in the development of a system with similar or
advanced capabilities.
12. A determination has been made that the Government of
Saudi Arabia 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.
13. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal are authorized for release and export to the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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