[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 126 (Friday, June 29, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38777-38779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-15988]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal Nos. 12-28]


36(b)(1) Arms Sales Notification

AGENCY: Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text 
of a section 36(b)(1) arms sales notification. This is published to 
fulfill the requirements of section 155 of Public Law 104-164 dated 
July 21, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. B. English, DSCA/DBO/CFM, (703) 
601-3740.
    The following is a copy of a letter to the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, Transmittals 12-28 with attached transmittal, policy 
justification, and Sensitivity of Technology.

    Dated: June 26, 2012.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN29JN12.019

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Transmittal No. 12-28
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: Morocco
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment*...............  $.074 billion.
Other..................................   .941 billion.
                                        --------------------------------
  Total................................   1.015 billion.
 
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

    (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
Services under Consideration for Purchase: enhancement and 
refurbishment of 200 M1A1 Abrams tanks, provided as part of a grant 
Excess Defense Article (EDA) transfer notified to Congress on 27 April 
2011, to the M1A1 Special Armor (SA) configuration. The proposed sale 
also includes 150 AN/VRC-87E and 50 AN/VRC-89E Exportable Single 
Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems (SINCGARS), 200 M2 Chrysler 
Mount Machine Guns, 400 7.62MM M240 Machine Guns, 12,049,842 Ammunition 
Rounds (including 1400 C785 SABOT, 1800 CA31 HEAT, and 5400 AA38 SLAP-
T), 200 M250 Smoke Grenade Launchers, support equipment, spare and 
repair parts, personnel training and training equipment, publications 
and technical data, communication support, U.S. Government and 
contractor

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technical assistance, and other related logistics support.
    (iv) Military Department: Army (USQ)
    (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: 18 June 2012

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

Kingdom of Morocco--M1A1 SA Abrams Tank Enhancement, Support and 
Equipment

    The Government of the Kingdom of Morocco has requested a possible 
enhancement and refurbishment of 200 M1A1 Abrams tanks, provided as 
part of a grant Excess Defense Article (EDA) transfer notified to 
Congress on 27 April 2011, to the M1A1 Special Armor (SA) 
configuration. The possible sale will also provide 150 AN/VRC-87E and 
50 AN/VRC-89E Exportable Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio 
Systems (SINCGARS), 200 M2 Chrysler Mount Machine Guns, and 400 7.62MM 
M240 Machine Guns. The possible sale also includes 12,049,842 
Ammunition Rounds (including 1400 C785 SABOT, 1800 CA31 HEAT, and 5400 
AA38 SLAP-T), 200 M250 Smoke Grenade Launchers, support equipment, 
spare and repair parts, personnel training and training equipment, 
publications and technical data, communication support, U.S. Government 
and contractor technical assistance, and other related logistics 
support. The estimated cost is $1.015 billion.
    This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and 
national security of the United States by helping to improve the 
security of a major Non-NATO ally that continues to be an important 
force for political stability and economic progress in Africa.
    This package of M1A1 tank enhancements will contribute to the 
modernization of Morocco's tank fleet, enhancing its ability to meet 
current and future threats. These tanks will contribute to Morocco's 
goal of updating its military capability while further enhancing 
interoperability with the U.S. and other allies.
    The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the 
basic military balance in the region.
    The prime contractor will be General Dynamics Land Systems in 
Sterling Heights, Michigan. Refurbishment work will be performed at 
Anniston Army Depot in Anniston, Alabama and the Joint Systems 
Manufacturing Center in Lima, Ohio. There are no known offset 
agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.
    Implementation of this proposed sale will require annual trips to 
Morocco involving up to 64 U.S. Government and 13 contractor 
representatives for a period of up to five years to manage the fielding 
and training for the program.
    There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a 
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 12-28
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 M1A1 Abrams Tanks components considered to contain sensitive 
technology in the proposed program are as follows:
    a. The M1A1 Thermal Imaging System (TIS) 2nd Gen Forward Looking 
Infrared (FLIR) constitutes a target acquisition system which, when 
operated with other tank systems, gives the tank crew a substantial 
advantage over the potential threat. The TIS provides the M1A1 crew 
with the ability to effectively aim and fire the tank main armament 
system under a broad range of adverse battlefield conditions. The 
hardware itself is Unclassified. The engineering design and 
manufacturing data associated with the detector and infrared (IR) 
optics and coatings are considered sensitive. The technical data 
package is Unclassified with the exception of the specifications for 
target acquisition range (Confidential), nuclear hardening 
(Confidential, restricted data) and laser hardening (Secret).
    b. The M1A1 Tank Special Armor and other special armors used in the 
hull and turret are classified at the Secret level. Major components of 
Special Armor are fabricated in sealed modules and in serialized 
removable subassemblies. Special Armor components and associated 
vulnerability data for both chemical and kinetic energy rounds are 
classified Secret.
    c. The use of the Advanced Gas Turbine-1500 (AGT-1500) Gas Turbine 
Propulsion System in the MlA1 is a unique application of armored 
vehicle power pack technology. The hardware is composed of the AGT-1500 
engine and transmission, and is Unclassified. Manufacturing processes 
associated with the production of turbine blades, recuperator, bearings 
and shafts, and hydrostatic pump and motor, are proprietary and 
therefore commercially competition sensitive.
    d. A major survivability feature of the Abrams Tank is the 
compartmentalization of fuel and ammunition. Compartmentalization is 
the positive separation of the crew and critical components from 
combustible materials. In the event that the fuel or ammunition is 
ignited or deteriorated by an incoming threat round, the crew is fully 
protected by the compartmentalization. Sensitive information includes 
the performance of the ammunition compartments as well as the 
compartment design parameters.
    2. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain knowledge 
of the specific hardware and software elements, the information could 
be used to develop countermeasures or equivalent systems which might 
reduce weapon system effectiveness or be used in the development of a 
system with similar or advanced capabilities.
[FR Doc. 2012-15988 Filed 6-28-12; 8:45 am]
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