[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 241 (Thursday, December 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90794-90796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30159]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal No. 16-62]


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/SA&E-RAN, (703) 697-
9107.
    The following is a copy of a letter to the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, Transmittal 16-62 with attached Policy Justification 
and Sensitivity of Technology.

    Dated: December 12, 2016.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
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Transmittal No. 16-62
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 Qatar
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

 
 
 
Major Defense Equipment (MDE)*...........  $ 0 million
Other....................................  $700 million
                                          ------------------------------
    Total................................  $700 million
 

    (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
    Major Defense Equipment (MDE): None
    Non-MDE includes: Follow-on support for eight (8) C-17 aircraft, to 
include contract labor for sustainment engineering, on-site COMSEC 
support, Quality Assurance, support equipment repair, supply chain 
management, spares replenishment, maintenance, back shop support, and 
centralized maintenance support/associated services. Required upgrades 
will include fixed installation satellite antenna, Mode 5+ installation 
and sustainment, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out, and 
two special operations loading ramps.
    (iv) Military Department: Air Force (QAI)
    (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: QA-D-QAB
    (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: December 7, 2016
    * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

Qatar--Continuation of Logistics Support Services and Equipment

    The Government of Qatar has requested a possible sale of continued 
logistics support for eight (8) C-17 aircraft which will include 
contract labor for sustainment engineering, on-site COMSEC support, 
Quality Assurance, support equipment repair, supply chain management, 
spares replenishment, maintenance, back shop support, and centralized 
maintenance support/associated services. Required upgrades will include 
fixed installation satellite antenna, Mode 5+ installation and 
sustainment, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out, and two 
special operations loading ramps. The estimated total cost is $700 
million.
    The proposed sale contributes to the foreign policy and national 
security of the U.S. by helping to improve the security of an important 
regional ally. Qatar is a vital partner for political stability and 
economic progress in the Middle East. The C-17 provides a heavy airlift 
capability and complements the normal, day-to-day operations of the 
Government of Qatar's C-130J fleet. Qatar will have no difficulty 
absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.
    The proposed sale will enhance Qatar's ability to operate and 
maintain its C-17s, supporting its capability to provide humanitarian 
aid in the Middle East and Africa region and support its troops in 
coalition operations. Qatar's current contract supporting its C-17 
fleet will expire in September of 2017.
    The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the 
basic military balance in the region.
    The prime contractor will be the Boeing Corporation of Chicago, 
Illinois. The U.S. Government is not aware of any known offsets 
associated with this sale. Any offset agreement will be defined in 
negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor.
    Implementation of this sale will require the assignment of 
approximately five additional U.S. Government and approximately 50 
contractor representatives to Qatar.
    There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness, as a 
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 16-62
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to Section 
36(b)(1) Of the Arms Export Control Act
Annex A
Item No. vii
    (vii) Sensitivity of Technology:
    1. This sale will involve the release of sensitive technology to 
Qatar in the performance of services to sustain eight (8) Qatar C-17 
aircraft. While much of the below equipment supporting the C-17 is not 
new to the country, there will be replenishment spares of the below 
sensitive technologies purchased to support the fleet.
    2. The Force 524D is a 24-channel SAASM based Global Positioning 
System (GPS) receiver, with precise positioning service (PPS) 
capability built upon Trimble's next generation OPS technology. The 
Force 524D retains backward compatibility with the proven Force 5GS, 
while adding new functionality to interface with digital antenna 
electronics, to significantly improve anti-jam (AJ) performance. The 
host platform can select the radio frequency (RF) or digital antenna 
electronics (DAE) interface. In the digital mode, the Force 524D is 
capable of controlling up to 16 independent beams. The hardware and 
software associated with the 524D receiver card is UNCLASSIFIED.
    3. The C-17 aircraft will be equipped with the GAS-1, which is 
comprised of the Controlled Reception Pattern Antennas (CRPA), with the 
associated wiring harness and the Antenna Electronics (AE)-1, to 
provide AJ capability. The hardware is UNCLASSIFIED.
    4. The KIV-77 is the crypto applique for Mode V Identification 
Friend of Foe (IFF). The hardware is UNCLASSIFIED and COMSEC 
controlled.
    5. Software, hardware, and other data/information, which is 
classified or sensitive, is reviewed prior to release to protect system 
vulnerabilities, design data, and performance parameters. Some end-item 
hardware, software, and other data identified above are classified at 
the CONFIDENTIAL and SECRET level. Potential compromise of these 
systems is controlled through management of the basic software 
programs, of highly sensitive systems and software-controlled weapon 
systems, on a case-by-case basis.
    6. Qatar is both willing and able to protect United States 
classified military information. Qatari physical and document security 
standards are equivalent to U.S. standards. Qatar has demonstrated its 
willingness and capability to protect sensitive military technology and 
information released to its military in the past.
    7. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain knowledge 
of the specific hardware or software source code in this proposed sale, 
the information could be used to develop countermeasures, which might 
reduce weapon system effectiveness or be used in the development of 
systems with similar or advanced capabilities. The benefits to be 
derived from this sale in the furtherance of the U.S. foreign policy 
and national security objectives, as outlined in the Policy 
Justification, outweigh the potential damage that could result if the 
sensitive technology, where revealed to unauthorized persons.
    8. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal are 
authorized for release and export to the Government of Qatar.

[FR Doc. 2016-30159 Filed 12-14-16; 8:45 am]
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