[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 236 (Thursday, December 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88668-88671]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-29393]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal No. 16-53]


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: Pam Young, DSCA/SE&E-RAN, (703) 697-
9107.
    The following is a copy of a letter to the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, Transmittal 16-53 with attached Policy Justification 
and Sensitivity of Technology.

    Dated: December 2, 2016.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.

[[Page 88669]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN08DE16.001

 Transmittal No. 16-53

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: United Kingdom.
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment *...............   $780 million
Other...................................   $220 million
                                         -------------------------------
  TOTAL.................................   $1.00 billion
 

    (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
    Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
    Twenty-six (26) Certifiable Predator B Remotely Piloted Aircraft 
(16 with option for additional 10)
    Twelve (12) Advanced Ground Control Stations (GCSs) (8 with option 
for additional 4)
    Four (4) New Launch and Recovery Element GCSs
    Four (4) Upgrades to existing Blk 15 Launch and Recovery Element 
GCSs (2 with option for additional 2)
    Twenty-five (25) Multi-spectral Targeting Systems (12 + 2 spares, 
with option for additional 10 + 1 spare)
    Twenty-five (25) AN/APY-8 Lynx IIe Block 20A Synthetic Aperture 
Radar and Ground Moving Target Indicators (SAR/GMTI) (12 + 2 spares, 
with option for additional 10 + 1 spare)
    Eighty-six (86) Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial 
Guidance Units (EGIs) (3 per aircraft) (48 + 5 spares, with option for 
additional 30 + 3 spares)
    Non-MDE include:
    Non-MDE items include: communications equipment, Identification 
Friend or Foe (IFF) equipment, weapons installation kits, and TPE331-
10YGD engines. In addition, the package provides a unique and common 
spares package, support equipment, U.S. Air Force technical orders, 
country specific technical

[[Page 88670]]

orders, Contractor Logistics Support for two (optional three) years, 
contractor provided aircraft components, spares, and accessories, 
training, and other related elements of logistical and program support.
    (iv) Military Department: Air Force (X6-D-SAC).
    (v) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, Offered, or Agreed to be 
Paid: None.
    (vi) Sensitivity of Technology Contained in the Defense Article or 
Defense Services Proposed to be Sold: See Annex Attached.
    (vii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: November 16, 2016.
    * as defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

United Kingdom--Certifiable Predator B Remotely Piloted Aircraft

    The United Kingdom (UK) requested a possible sale of up to twenty-
six (26) Certifiable Predator B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (16 with 
option for additional 10); twelve (12) Advanced Ground Control Stations 
(GCSs) (8 with option for additional 4); four (4) New Launch and 
Recovery Element GCSs; four (4) Upgrades to existing Blk 15 Launch and 
Recovery Element GCSs (2 with option for additional 2); twenty-five 
(25) Multi-spectral Targeting Systems (12 + 2 spares, with option for 
additional 10 + 1 spare); twenty-five (25) AN/APY-8 Lynx IIe Block 20A 
Synthetic Aperture Radar and Ground Moving Target Indicators (SAR/GMTI) 
(12+ 2 spares, with option for additional 10 + 1 spare); Eighty-six 
(86) Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Guidance Units (EGIs) 
(3 per aircraft) (48 + 5 spares, with option for additional 30 + 3 
spares). This sale also includes communications equipment, 
Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) equipment; weapons installation 
kits; TPE331-10YGD engines; unique and common spares package; support 
equipment; U.S. Air Force technical orders; country specific technical 
orders; Contractor Logistics Support for two (optional three) years; 
contractor provided aircraft components, spares, and accessories; 
personnel training; and other related elements of logistical and 
program support. The total estimated program cost is $1.0 billion.
    The UK is a close ally and an important partner on critical foreign 
policy and defense issues. The proposed sale will enhance U.S. foreign 
policy and national security objectives by enhancing the UK's 
capabilities to provide national defense and contribute to NATO and 
coalition operations.
    This sale will improve the UK's ability to meet current and future 
threats by providing improved Intelligence, Surveillance and 
Reconnaissance (ISR) coverage that enhances homeland security, promotes 
increased battlefield situational awareness, augments combat search and 
rescue, and provides ground troop support. The Certifiable Predator B 
will also be used to support the UK's armed forces and coalition forces 
engaged in current and future peacekeeping, peace-enforcing, counter-
insurgent, and counterterrorism operations. The UK already operates 
armed remotely piloted aircraft, the MQ-9 Reaper, and will have no 
difficulty transitioning to the Certifiable Predator B.
    The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the 
basic military balance in the region.
    The principal contractors will be General Atomics Aeronautical 
Systems, Inc. in San Diego, California. 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 U.S. defense readiness as a 
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 16-53
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 Certifiable Predator B (CPB) Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) 
is a weapons-capable aircraft designed for medium to high altitude-long 
endurance Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Target 
Acquisition, and Strike missions. Protector (formerly known as 
Scavenger) represents the CPB as modified to a UK-specific 
configuration which includes the design, development and integration of 
a UK-specific weapons installation kit for employment of UK-produced 
weapons (Paveway IV and Brimstone II). Building upon the legacy of 
Predator B's proven success, CPB/Protector provides up to 40 hours 
endurance, speeds up to 220 knots true air speed (KTAS) and a maximum 
altitude of 45,000 feet. The system is designed to be controlled by two 
operators within an Advanced Ground Control Station (AGCS). The AGCS is 
designed to emulate a reconnaissance aircraft cockpit, giving users 
extensive means to operate both the aircraft and sensors. CPB/Protector 
is able to operate using a direct Line-of-Sight (LOS) datalink or can 
be operated Beyond Line-of-Sight (BLOS) using satellite communications 
(SATCOM). The design enables unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control to 
be handed off between multiple AGCSs thus allowing remote-split 
operations and centralized mission control with other assets. The CPB/
Protector system can be deployed from a single site that supports 
launch, recovery, mission control, and maintenance. The system also 
supports remote-split operations where launch, recovery, and 
maintenance occur at a Forward Operating Base and mission control is 
conducted from another geographically separated location, or Main 
Operating Base (MOB).
    2. The United Kingdom CPB/Protector system includes the following 
components.
    a. A secure Advanced CGCS with workstations that allow operators to 
control and monitor the aircraft, as well as record and exploit 
downlinked payload data.
    b. The unclassified General Atomics AN/APY-8 Block 20 Lynx Ile 
Synthetic Aperture Radar and Ground Moving Target Indicator (SAR/GMTI) 
system provides an all-weather surveillance, tracking and targeting 
capability. The AN/APY-8 Block 20 operates in the Ku band, using an 
offset-fed dish antenna mounted on a three-axis stabilized gimbal. It 
has a large field of regard, produces a strip map and can image up to a 
l0km wide swath. Swaths from multiple passes can be combined for wide-
area surveillance.
    c. The Raytheon Multi-spectral Targeting System with Laser Target 
Designator (LTD) and multi-use Electro-Optical (EO)/lnfra-Red (IR) 
sensor provides long-range surveillance, high-altitude target 
acquisition, tracking, and range-finding with capabilities up to and 
including high definition color TV, high definition short-wave IR, 
medium-wave IR, and long wave IR sensors.
    d. The weapons installation kit enables the integration of UK-
produced munitions (Paveway IV and Brimstone II) onto the Protector 
platform. The integration of these munitions requires specialized non-
recurring engineering work which will be performed by the platform OEM 
in the United States.
    3. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain knowledge 
of the specific hardware or software in this proposed sale, any 
information gleaned from exploitation of hardware, publications and 
software could be used to develop countermeasures (electronic, 
infrared, or other types) as well as offensive and defensive counter-
tactics and allow an adversary to exploit those vulnerabilities during 
combat.

[[Page 88671]]

    4. A determination has been made that the recipient country can 
provide substantially the same degree of protection for the sensitive 
technology being released as the US Government. This sale is necessary 
in furtherance of the U.S. foreign policy and national security 
objectives outlined in the Policy Justification.
    5. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal 
have been authorized for release and export to the United Kingdom.

[FR Doc. 2016-29393 Filed 12-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-06-P