[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 22, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4224-S4225]
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:
U.S. Department of State,
Washington, DC.
CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION TRANSMITTAL LETTER
Please find enclosed the following notification from the
Department of State.
Department Notification Number: RSAT 26-76.
Pursuant to the reporting requirements of Section 36(b)(1)
of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), as amended, we are
forwarding Transmittal No. 26-76 concerning the Department of
the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and Acceptance to the
Government of Greece for defense articles and services
estimated to cost $80.1 million. We will issue a news release
to notify the public of this proposed sale upon delivery of
this letter to your office.
Recipients:
Speaker of the House of Representatives
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Sincerely,
Kaitlyn Wolfe,
Senior Bureau Official,
Bureau of Legislative Affairs.
Transmittal No. RSAT 26-76
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 Greece.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment* $32.1 million.
Other $48 million.
Total $80.1 million.
Funding Source: Foreign Military Financing and National
Funds.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Three hundred fifty (350) Switchblade 300 Block 20
(SB300B20) Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS).
Thirty-five (35) SB300B20 LMAMS Fire Control Systems (FCS).
Non-MDE: The following non-MDE items will also be included:
Switchblade 600 (SB600) Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing
Module Global Positioning System LMAMS; SB600 FCS; SB300B20
tactical battery chargers; smart battery chargers; spares
packages; training services; field service representative
support; U.S. Government and contractor engineering,
technical, and logistics support services; and other related
elements of logistics and program support.
(iv) Military Department: Army (GR-B-UBA).
(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: July 16, 2026.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Greece--Switchblade 300 Block 20 Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System
The Government of Greece has requested to buy three hundred
fifty (350) Switchblade 300 Block 20 (SB300B20) Lethal
Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS) and thirty-five (35)
SB300B20 LMAMS Fire Control Systems (FCS). The following non-
major defense equipment items will also be included:
Switchblade 600 (SB600) Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing
Module Global Positioning System LMAMS; SB600 FCS; SB300B20
tactical battery chargers; SB600
[[Page S4225]]
smart battery chargers; spares packages; training services;
field service representative support; U.S. Government and
contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support
services; and other related elements of logistics and program
support. The estimated total cost is $80.1 million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security of the United States by improving the
security of a NATO Ally that continues to be a force for
political and economic stability in Europe.
The proposed sale will improve Greece's capability to deter
current and future threats, support coalition operations, and
increase interoperability with the United States. Greece 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 Aero Vironment Inc.,
located in Simi Valley, CA. 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 Greece.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 26-76
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 Switchblade 300 Block 20 (SB300B20) Lethal Miniature
Aerial Missile System (LMAMS) is loitering precision guided
munitions intended to allow small unit engagement of enemy
combatants without direct enemy fire. The SB300B20 LMAMS uses
a common Fire Control System (FCS) and core capabilities,
including Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) imagery for day
and night operations, automated mission planning, and a
``Forward Pass'' feature to extend operational range. The
SB300B20 is a lightweight system with beyond-visual-range
capability, optimized for anti-personnel missions. The
SB300B20 LMAMS is anti-personnel, surface-to-surface launched
missile that utilizes proprietary pixel lock technology and a
fragmenting warhead to engage targets. The system is
controlled via a secure Digital Data Link (DDL), which
provides the connection between the operator's FCS and the
air vehicle for both command inputs and near real-time video
transmission.
2. The Switchblade 600 (SB600) Selective Availability Anti-
Spoofing Module Global Positioning System (GPS) LMAMS is
loitering precision guided munitions intended to allow small
unit engagement of enemy combatants without direct enemy
fire. The SB600 uses a common FCS and core capabilities,
including EO/IR imagery for day and night operations,
automated mission planning, and a ``Forward Pass'' feature to
extend operational range. The larger SB600 provides extended
capabilities, featuring a high-performance anti-armor warhead
and a significantly longer flight endurance of over sixty
minutes, enabling it to engage hardened targets and conduct
prolonged reconnaissance. The SB600 is an antitank, surface-
to-surface launched missile that utilizes the same pixel lock
technology and a shaped charge warhead to engage hardened
targets. The system is controlled via a secure DDL, which
provides the connection between the operator's FCS and the
air vehicle for both command inputs and near real-time video
transmission. and all its support equipment to facilitate
proper operation. This software is hosted on the Flight
Control Unit (FCU) and is where Built-in Tests (BIT), payload
arming/disarming, and waypoints are initiated. Aerial
Reconfigurable Embedded System (ARES) is also where a range
of non-flight functions are conducted; to include preflight
checks, periodic maintenance checks, loading of Operational
Flight Program (OFP) data, and loading of GPS cryptographic
keys.
3. The SB300B20 features an Advanced Encryption Standard
(AES) 256-bit encryption, securing both video and data
transmission. As a key security feature, a unique bind code
links the ground controller to its specific air vehicle,
preventing unauthorized systems from taking control. The ARES
is flight software used across the Switchblade family of
systems, it interfaces with the SB300B20.
4. The SB600 features an AES 256-bit encryption, securing
both video and data transmission. As a key security feature,
a unique bind code links the ground controller to its
specific air vehicle, preventing unauthorized systems from
taking control. The ARES is flight software used across the
Switchblade family of systems, it interfaces with the SB600
and all its support equipment to facilitate proper operation.
This software is hosted on the FCU and is where BIT, payload
arming/disarming, and waypoints are initiated. Ares is also
where a range of nonflight functions are conducted; including
preflight checks, periodic maintenance checks, loading of OFP
data, and loading of GPS cryptographic keys.
5. The SB300B20 is controlled by the FCU which hosts the
ARES flight software. The warhead and other capabilities of
the SB300B20 are also controlled by the FCU. Specific to the
warhead, there is an Electronic Safe and Arm Device (ESAD)
that sets the sensing environment and logic to ensure the
warhead only goes off under certain conditions.
6. The SB600 is controlled by the FCU which hosts the ARES
flight software. The warhead and other capabilities of the
SB300B20 are also controlled by the FCU. Specific to the
warhead, there is an ESAD that sets the sensing environment
and logic to ensure the warhead only goes off under certain
conditions.
7. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is
SECRET.
8. 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.
9. A determination has been made that Greece can provide
substantially the same degree of protection for the sensitive
technology being released as the U.S. Government. This
proposed sale is necessary in furtherance of the U.S. foreign
policy and national security objectives outlined in the
Policy Justification.
10. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal have been authorized for release and export to
the Government of Greece.
____________________