[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 230 (Tuesday, December 1, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75068-75070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30470]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal No. 15-76]


36(b)(1) Arms Sales Notification

AGENCY: Department of Defense, Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

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: Sarah A. Ragan or Heather N. Harwell, 
DSCA/LMO, (703) 604-1546/(703) 607-5339.
    The following is a copy of a letter to the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, Transmittal 15-76 with attached Policy Justification 
and Sensitivity of Technology.

    Dated: November 25, 2015.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
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[[Page 75069]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN01DE15.060

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Transmittal No. 15-76
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to Section 
36(b)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended
    (i) Prospective Purchaser: United Kingdom.
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment *...............  $80 million
Other...................................  $ 0 million
                                         -------------------------------
  TOTAL.................................  $80 million
 

    (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
    Major Defense Equipment (MDE): Five hundred (500) AGM-114R Hellfire 
II Semi-Active Laser (SAL) Missiles.
    (iv) Military Department: Air Force (YAY), Amendment 4.
    (v) Prior Related Cases, if any:

FMS Case UK-B-WKG--$113,000--Apr 1998
FMS Case UK-B-WKI--$21M--Sep 2007
FMS Case UK-D-YAC--$22M--May 2008
FMS Case UK-D-YAF--$21M--Mar 2011
FMS Case UK-D-YAY--$67M--Aug 2013

    (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.
    * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act
    (viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: 9 NOV 2015.


[[Page 75070]]



POLICY JUSTIFICATION

United Kingdom--Hellfire Missiles

    The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) requested a possible sale 
of five hundred (500) AGM-114R Hellfire II Semi-Active Laser (SAL) 
Missiles. The estimated cost is $80 million.
    This sale directly contributes to the foreign and national security 
policies of the United States by enhancing the close air support 
capability of the UK in support of NATO and other coalition operations. 
Commonality between close air support capabilities greatly increases 
interoperability between our two countries' military and peacekeeping 
forces and allows for greater burden sharing.
    The proposed sale improves the UK's ability to meet current and 
future threats by providing close air support to counter enemy attacks 
on coalition ground forces in U.S. CENTCOM's area of responsibility. 
The UK currently has Hellfire missiles in its inventory and will have 
no difficulty absorbing these additional missiles.
    The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the 
basic military balance in the region.
    There is no principal contractor for this sale as the missiles are 
coming from U.S. Army stock. There are no known offset agreements 
proposed in connection with this potential sale.
    Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the 
assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor 
representatives to the UK.
    There will be no adverse impact on United States defense readiness 
as a result of this proposed sale. All defense articles and services 
are approved for release by our foreign disclosure office.
Transmittal No. 15-76
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to Section 
36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act
Annex--Item No. vii
    (viii) Sensitivity of Technology:
    1. AGM-114R Hellfire. The AGM-114R Hellfire II Semi-Active Laser 
(SAL) Missiles are rail-launched guided missiles developed and produced 
by Lockheed Martin. The weapon system hardware, as an ``All Up Round,'' 
is UNCLASSIFIED. The highest level of classified information to be 
disclosed regarding the AGM-114R Hellfire II missile software is 
SECRET. The highest level of classified information that could be 
disclosed by a proposed sale or by testing of the end item is SECRET 
and the highest level that must be disclosed for production, 
maintenance, or training is CONFIDENTIAL. Software sensitivity is 
primarily in the programs that instruct the system on how to operate in 
the presence of countermeasures.
    2. If a technologically advanced adversary obtained knowledge of 
the specific hardware and software elements, the information could be 
used to develop countermeasures or equivalent systems which might 
reduce system effectiveness or be used in the development of a system 
with similar or advanced capabilities.
    3. A determination has been made that the UK can provide 
substantially the same degree of protection for the AGM-114R Hellfire 
II missiles as the United States Government. Transfer of these missiles 
to the UK is necessary in the furtherance of United States foreign 
policy and national security objectives.
    4. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal are 
authorized for release and export to the Government of the United 
Kingdom.

[FR Doc. 2015-30470 Filed 11-30-15; 8:45 am]
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