[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4717-S4718]
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 26-85.
Pursuant to the reporting requirements of Section 36(b)(1)
of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), as amended, we are
forwarding Transmittal No. 26-85 concerning the Navy's
proposed Letter(s) of Offer and Acceptance to the Government
of Saudi Arabia for defense articles and services estimated
to cost $1.96 billion. 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. 26-85
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 * $1.35 billion.
Other $0.61 billion.
Total $1.96 billion.
Funding Source: National Funds.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Up to Ten thousand (10,000) Advanced Precision Kill Weapon
System (APKWS-II) air-to-air guidance sections.
Up to Ten thousand (10,000) APKWS-II air-to-ground guidance
sections.
Non-MDE: The following non-MDE items will also be included:
LAU-131 A/A launchers; Mk-152 high explosive warheads; MK66
rocket motors; proximity fuzes; WTU-1/B practice warheads;
inert MK66 rocket motors; test support equipment; launch and
employment equipment; spare and repair parts; publications
and technical documentation; personnel training, training
equipment, and support equipment; other support equipment;
transportation; 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-ACC; SR-P-ACF), Air
Force (SR-D-QEE).
(v) Prior Related Cases. if any: SR-P-ABZ; SI-P-AAA.
[[Page S4718]]
(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 15, 2026.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia--Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System-II
Guidance Sections
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has requested to buy up to ten
thousand (10,000) Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System
(APKWS-II) air-to-air guidance sections; and up to ten
thousand (10,000) APKWS-II air-to-ground guidance sections.
The following non-major defense equipment items will also be
included: LAU-131 A/A launchers; Mk-152 high explosive
warheads; MK66 rocket motors; proximity fuzes; WTU-1/B
practice warheads; inert MK66 rocket motors; test support
equipment; launch and employment equipment; spare and repair
parts; publications and technical documentation; personnel
training, training equipment, and support equipment; other
support equipment; transportation; 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 up to $1.96 billion.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security objectives of the United States by
improving the security of a Major non-NATO Ally that is a
force for political stability and economic progress in the
Gulf Region.
The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia's capability to
deter current and future threats by strengthening its
homeland defense, and improving interoperability with U.S.
forces, and other regional and NATO forces. The proposed sale
will also augment Saudi Arabia's operational aircraft and
enhance its air-to-air, and air-to-ground self-defense
capability. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will have no
difficulty absorbing this equipment and services 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 BAE Systems, located in
Nashua, NH. 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 require the
assignment of fifteen (15) additional U.S. Government and
fifteen (15) U.S. contractor representatives to Saudi Arabia
for an extended period to support program and technical
reviews plus training and maintenance support in-country.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 26-85
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 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System-II (APKWS-II)
all-up-round is a low cost air-to-air and air-to-ground
system that consists of an APKWS-II guidance section
developed by BAE Systems, legacy 2.75-inch MK66 Mod 4 rocket
motor, and legacy MK152 and MK435/436-point detonating or
M728 proximity fuze. The APKWS is a tactical rocket system
that can be launched from several platforms, including rotary
wing, fixed wing and ground-based vehicles, offering multi-
mission, multi-target capability, and precision-strike
lethality. These guided rockets are steered to the target by
following reflected laser beam energy directed onto the
target either by the launching aircraft, a second aircraft,
or ground-based troops operating a laser designator.
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 system effectiveness or be used in the
development of a system with similar or advanced
capabilities.
4. A determination has been made that Saudi Arabia 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.
5. All defense articles, technical data, and services
listed in this transmittal have been authorized for release
and export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
____________________