[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4730-S4731]
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 26-79.
Pursuant to the reporting requirements of Section 36(b)(1)
of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), as amended, we are
forwarding Transmittal No. 26-79 concerning the Army's
proposed Letter(s) of Offer and Acceptance to the Government
of Argentina for defense articles and services estimated to
cost $140 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,
Katherine Bowles,
Assistant Secretary,
Bureau of Legislative Affairs.
Transmittal No. RSAT 26-79
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 Argentina.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $12 million.
Other $128 million.
Total $140 million.
Funding Source: National Funds.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Four (4) UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters.
Two (2) T700-GE-701D engines.
Non-MDE: The following non-MDE items will also be included:
single or dual attitude heading reference system; APX-100
Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) transponder; APX-123 IFF
transponder; AN/ARN-123 or AN/ARN-147 visual omnirange/
instrument landing system receiver; AN/ARN-89 or AN/ARN-149
automatic direction finder radio receiver; AN/ARC-220 high-
frequency radio; ARC-186 very high frequency radio; Garmin
GTN-750 global positioning system; Cobham C-5000 multiband
radio; EBC 406HM emergency locator transmitter; internal
auxiliary fuel tank systems; fast rope insertion extraction
system; rescue hoist; rescue hoist equipment sets; cargo
hook; Bambi bucket; maintenance and aircrew training devices/
software; helmets; transportation; organizational equipment;
spare and repair parts; support equipment; tools and test
equipment; technical data and publications; personnel
training and training equipment; U.S. Government and
contractor engineering; technical and logistics support
services; and other related elements of logistics and program
support.
(iv) Military Department: Army (AR-B-UZI).
(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: September 10,
2026.
*As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Argentina--UH-60L Blackhawk Helicopters
The Government of Argentina has requested to buy four (4)
UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters; and two (2) T700-GE-701D
engines. The following non-major defense equipment items will
also be included: single or dual attitude heading reference
system; APX-100 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF)
transponder; APX-123 IFF transponder; AN/ARN-123 or AN/ARN-
147 visual omnirange/instrument landing system receiver; AN/
ARN-89 or AN/ARN-149 automatic direction finder radio
receiver; AN/ARC-220 high-frequency radio; ARC-186 very high
frequency radio; Garmin GTN-750 global positioning system;
Cobham C-5000 multiband radio; EBC 406HM emergency locator
transmitter; internal auxiliary nrel tank systems; fast rope
insertion extraction system; rescue hoist; rescue hoist
equipment sets; cargo hook; Bambi bucket; maintenance and
aircrew training devices/software; helmets; transportation;
organizational equipment; spare and repair parts; support
equipment; tools and test equipment; technical data and
publications; personnel training and training equipment; 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
$140 million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals
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 South
America.
The proposed sale will improve Argentina's capability to
meet current and future threats by providing the additional
capacity to conduct Border security, counter-transnational
crime, and humanitarian assistance/disaster response.
Argentina will have no difficultly absorbing these articles
and services into its armed forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not
alter the basic military balance in the region.
[[Page S4731]]
The principal contractor will be Sikorsky, a Lockheed
Martin Company, located in Stratford, CT. 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 Argentina.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 26-79
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 UH-60L aircraft is a medium lift, four-bladed
helicopter which includes two (2) T-70 ID engines.
a. The AN/ARC-220 very high frequency-frequency modulation,
single channel ground and airborne radio system, airborne
radio is a reliable, field-proven voice and data
communication system used with the UH-60L.
b. The AN/APX-123, Identification Friend or Foe transponder
is a space diversity transponder installed on various
military platforms. When installed in conjunction with
platform antennas and remote-control unit (or other
appropriate control unit), the transponder provides
identification, altitude, and surveillance reporting in
response to interrogations from airborne, ground-based, and/
or surface interrogators. No Mode-4, Mode-5, or Mode-S is
installed in the equipment with a crypto device.
2. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is
UNCLASSIFIED.
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 which
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 Argentina 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 Government of Argentina.
____________________