[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 70 (Monday, April 28, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2598-S2599]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Mr. RISCH. 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:
[[Page S2599]]
Defense Security
Cooperation Agency,
Washington, DC.
Hon. James E. Risch,
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. 25-27,
concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Ireland for defense articles
and services estimated to cost $46 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. 25-27
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: Government of Ireland.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment* $25 million.
Other $21 million.
Total $46 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase: Foreign Military
Sales (FMS) case EI-B-UDF was below congressional
notification threshold at $8.7 million ($7.9 million in MDE)
and included forty-four (44) FGM-148 Javelin missiles. The
Government of Ireland has requested that the case be amended
to include thirty-six (36) Lightweight Command Launch Units
(LwCLU). This amendment will cause the case to exceed the
notification threshold, and thus notification of the entire
program is required. The above notification requirements are
combined as follows:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Forty-four (44) FGM-148 Javelin missiles.
Thirty-six (36) Lightweight Command Launch Units (LwCLUs).
Non-Major Defense Equipment: The following non-MDE items
will also be included: missile containers; U.S. Government
technical assistance; Enhanced Producibility Basic Skills
Trainers (EPBST); training; and other related elements of
logistics and program support.
(iv) Military Department: Army (EI-B-UDF).
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: None.
(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: April 23, 2025.
*As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
policy justification
Ireland--FGM-148 Javelin Missiles and Lightweight Command Launch Units
The Government of Ireland has requested to buy thirty-six
(36) Lightweight Command Launch Units (LwCLUs) that will be
added to a previously implemented case whose value was under
the congressional notification threshold. The original
Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case, valued at $8.7 million
($7.9 million in MDE), included forty-four (44) FGM-148
Javelin missiles. This notification is for a combined total
of forty-four (44) FGM-148 Javelin missiles and thirty-six
(36) Lightweight Command Launch Units (LwCLUs). The following
non-MDE items will also be included: missile containers; U.S.
Government technical assistance; Enhanced Producibility Basic
Skills Trainers (EPBST); training; and other related elements
of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is
$46 million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security of the United States by improving the
security and capabilities of Ireland to support its
participation in peacekeeping missions with the United
Nations and NATO's Partnership for Peace program.
The proposed sale will enhance Ireland's capability to
build its long-term defense capacity to defend its
sovereignty and territorial integrity to meet its national
defense requirements. Ireland 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 prime contractors will be the Javelin Joint Venture
between Lockheed Martin, located in Orlando, FL, and RTX
Corporation, located in Tucson, AZ. At this time, the U.S.
Government is not aware of any offset agreement proposed in
connection with this potential sale. 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 Ireland.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
transmittal no. 25-27
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 Javelin Weapon System is a medium-range, man-
portable, shoulder-launched, fire-and-forget anti-tank system
for infantry, scouts, and combat engineers. It may also be
mounted on a variety of platforms including vehicles,
aircraft, and watercraft. The system weighs 49.5 pounds and
has a maximum range in excess of 2,500 meters. The system is
highly lethal against tanks and other systems with
conventional and reactive armors and possesses a secondary
capability against bunkers.
2. Javelin's key technical feature is the use of fire-and-
forget technology that allows the gunner to fire and
immediately relocate or take cover. Additional special
features are the top attack and direct fire modes, an
advanced tandem warhead and imaging infrared seeker, target
lock-on before launch, and soft launch from enclosures or
covered fighting positions. The Javelin missile also has a
minimum smoke motor to decrease the likelihood of detection
on the battlefield.
3. The Javelin Weapon System is comprised of two major
tactical components, a reusable Light Weight Command Launch
Unit (LwCLU) and a missile contained in a disposable launch
tube assembly. The LwCLU incorporates an integrated day/night
sight that provides target engagement capability in adverse
weather and countermeasure environments and may also be used
in a stand-alone mode for battlefield surveillance and target
detection. The LwCLU's thermal sight is a 3rd generation
forward looking infrared sensor. The LwCLU also serves to
upload missile software updates.
4. The Javelin missile is autonomously guided to the target
using an imaging infrared seeker and adaptive correlation
tracking algorithms. This allows the gunner to take cover or
reload and engage another target after firing a missile. An
onboard flight computer guides the missile to the selected
target.
5. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is
SECRET.
6. 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 system effectiveness or be used in the
development of a system with similar or advanced
capabilities.
7. A determination has been made that Ireland can provide
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.
8. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal are authorized for release and export to the
Government of Ireland.
____________________