[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 8, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S64-S65]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATIONS
Mr. RISCH. 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. 24-80,
concerning the Navy's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for defense
articles and services estimated to cost $78.5 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. 24-80
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 * $48.5 million
Other $30.0 million
Total $78.5 million
Funding Source: National Funds
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE): Twenty (20) MK 54 MOD 0
Lightweight Torpedo (LWT) all up rounds.
Non-Major Defense Equipment: The following non-MDE items
will also be included: MK 54 MOD 0 LWT spare parts; MK 54
Recoverable Exercise Torpedoes (REXTORP); handling shapes and
containers; training; publications; support and test
equipment; U.S. Government and contractor engineering,
technical, and logistics support services; and other related
elements of logistics and program support.
(iv) Military Department: Navy (SR-P-ABX).
(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: 3 January 2025.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
Policy Justification
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia--MK 54 MOD 0 Lightweight Torpedoes
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has requested to buy twenty
(20) MK 54 MOD 0 Lightweight Torpedo (LWT) all up rounds. The
following non-MDE items will also be included: MK 54 MOD 0
LWT spare parts; MK 54 Recoverable Exercise Torpedoes
(REXTORP); handling shapes and containers; training;
publications; support and test equipment; U.S. Government and
contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support
services; and other related elements of logistics and program
support. The estimated total program cost is $78.5 million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals
and national security objectives of the United States by
improving the security of a partner country that is a force
for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf
region.
The proposed sale will improve the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia's capability to deter current and future threats by
upgrading its anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 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 RTX Integrated Defense
Systems, located in Portsmouth, RI. There are no known offset
agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this sale will require travel of up to
two U.S. Govemment or up to two contractor representatives to
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on a temporary basis for program
technical support and management oversight.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 24-80
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 MK 54 MOD 0 Lightweight Torpedo is a conventional
torpedo that can be launched from surface ships, rotary, and
fixed wing aircraft. It is an upgrade from the MK 46 torpedo
and has modernized sonar and guidance and control systems.
The new guidance and control system uses a mixture of
commercial-off-the-shelf and custom-built electronics. The
warhead, fuel tank, and propulsion system from the MK 46
torpedo are re-used in the MK 54 MOD 0 configuration with
minor modifications.
2. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is
SECRET.
3. 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.
4. A determination has been made that the Kingdom 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.
5. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal have been authorized for release and export to
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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