[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 10, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2970-2975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00246]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
[Transmittal No. 16-66]
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: Pamela Young, DSCA/SA&E-RAN, (703)
697-9107.
The following is a copy of a letter to the Speaker of the House of
[[Page 2971]]
Representatives, Transmittal 16-66 with attached Policy Justification
and Sensitivity of Technology.
Dated: January 5, 2017.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[[Page 2972]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN10JA17.001
[[Page 2973]]
Transmittal No. 16-66
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 Kuwait
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment*................ $ .04 billion
Other................................... $1.66 billion
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TOTAL............................... $1.70 billion
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Two hundred and forty (240) .50 Cal M2A1 Machine Guns
Four hundred and eighty (480) 7.62mm M240 Machine Guns
Two hundred and forty (240) AN/VRC-92E SINCGARS Radios
One thousand and eight five (1,085) AN/PVS-7B Night Vision Goggles
Non-MDE includes: Incorporation of cooling system/thermal
management systems; Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station (CROWS)
II--Low Profile Stabilized Weapon Stations; special armor; 120mm gun
tubes; 2nd generation Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) sights; embedded
diagnostics; gunner's primary sights; Counter Sniper and Anti-Materiel
Mount (CSAMM) hardware; upgrade/maintenance of engines and
transmissions; depot level support; training devices; 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 support.
(iv) Military Department: Army (UXA)
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: FMS Case KU-B-JAT (9 July 1993,
$1.9 billion), FMS Case KU-B-UKO (20 July 2001, $44.3 million), FMS
Case KU-B-UKN (23 July 2001, $42 million), FMS Case KU-B-ULB (19 May
2006, $36.8 million), FMS Case KU-B-ULX (20 July 2011, $34.8 million).
(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 Annex Attached
(viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: December 12, 2016
*as defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.
Policy Justification
Government of Kuwait--Recapitalization of 218 M1A2 Tanks and Related
Equipment and Support
The Government of Kuwait has requested a possible sale in support
of its recapitalization of 218 M1A2 tanks, to include two hundred and
forty (240) .50 Cal M2A1 machine guns; four hundred and eighty (480)
7.62mm M240 machine guns; two hundred and forty (240) AN/VRC-92E
SINCGARS radios; and one thousand and eight five (1,085) AN/PVS-7B
Night Vision Goggles. Also included is the incorporation of cooling
system/thermal management systems; Common Remotely Operated Weapons
Station (CROWS) II--Low Profile Stabilized Weapon Stations; special
armor; 120mm gun tubes; 2nd generation Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR)
sights; embedded diagnostics; gunner's primary sights; Counter Sniper
and Anti-Materiel Mount (CSAMM) hardware; upgrade/maintenance of
engines and transmissions; depot level support; training devices; 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
support. Total estimated program cost is $1.7 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 friendly country which has been and continues to be an
important force for political stability and economic progress in the
Middle East.
Kuwait intends to use this equipment to recapitalize its fleet of
M1A2 full track tanks in order to modernize and extend the service of
the tanks. Kuwait will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into
its armed forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the
basic military balance in the region.
The principal contractors involved in this program are: General
Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, MI; Joint Services
Manufacturing Center (JSMC), Lima, OH; Konsberg Defense Systems,
Alexandria, VA, and Johnstown, PA; Raytheon, McKinney, TX; Meggitt
Defense Systems, Irvine, CA; Palomar, Carlsbad, CA; Northrop Grumman,
West Falls Church, VA; DRS Technologies, Arlington, VA; Lockheed
Martin, Bethesda, MD; Honeywell, Morristown, NJ; Miltope, Hope Hull,
AL. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connect with this
potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale is estimated to require five
to seven contractors and twenty-five to thirty U.S. Government
representatives to Kuwait.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 16-66
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. Components considered to contain sensitive technology in the
proposed sale are as follows:
a. M1A2 Thermal Imaging System (TIS)--The TIS 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 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 which is CONFIDENTIAL and hardening data is
classified up to SECRET. The consequences of such compromise would
increase potential enemy capabilities to neutralize effectiveness of
the tank main armament system by denying the crew ability to acquire
targets.
b. Special Armor--Major components of special armor are fabricated
in sealed modules and in serialized removable subassemblies. Special
armor vulnerability data for both chemical and kinetic energy rounds
are classified SECRET. Engineering design and manufacturing data
related to special armor are also classified SECRET. The consequences
of such compromise of classified information would be the capability to
neutralize or defeat the armor. The sale or transfer of armor modules
are done on a government-to-government basis. This serves to minimize,
but not eliminate, the danger of compromise.
c. 120mm Gun--the gun is composed of a 120mm smoothbore gun
(cannon) manufactured at Watervliet Arsenal; ``long rod'' APFSDS
warheads; and combustible cartridge case ammunition.
[[Page 2974]]
There may be a need to procure/produce new gun cannon tubes from
Watervliet Arsenal. New cannons inducted at Anniston Army Depot would
be inspected according to established criteria and shipped to Lima Army
Tank Plant for tank upgrade process. Gun production and technology are
generally known. Disclosure of gun production and technology specific
to the 120mm (advance materials and tolerances) would degrade the
advantage.
d. AGT-1500 Gas Turbine Propulsion System--The use of a gas turbine
propulsion system in the M1A2 is a unique application of armored
vehicle power pack technology. The hardware is composed of the AGT-1500
engine and transmission and is not UNCLASSIFIED. Manufacturing
processes associated with the production of turbine blades,
recuperator, bearings and shafts, and hydrostatic pump and motor are
propriety and therefore commercially competition sensitive.
Unauthorized release and exploitation of sensitive propulsion
information would adversely impact U.S. commercial interests.
Acquisition of production data by a potential enemy could enhance its
ability to design and produce gas turbine engine propulsion system with
application to land vehicles.
e. Compartmentation--A major survivability feature of the M1 tank
is the compartmentation of fuel and ammunition. Compartmentation is the
positive separation of the crew and critical components from
combustible materials such that in the event that the fuel or
ammunition is ignited or deteriorated by an incoming threat round, the
crew is fully protected. Sensitive information includes the performance
of the ammunition compartments as well as the compartment design
parameters. The design of the compartments cannot be protected, however
the guidelines, parametric inductions and test data used to develop the
compartments do not have to be disclosed to permit a sale.
f. Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station--Low Profile (CROWS-
LP)--The CROWS-LP (M153A2E1) is a commanders' weapon station. It allows
for under armor operation of weapons--M2HB, M2A1, M250B, and M240. The
CROWS-LP is an updated version of the M153A2 CROWS that is
approximately 10 inches shorter; the CROWS-LP M153A2E1 increases
visibility over the weapon station. The fire control system of the
CROWS-LP allows the ``first-burst'' on target capability from
stationary and moving platforms. The CROWS-LP ingratiates a day camera
(VIM-C), thermal camera (TIM 1500), and laser range finder (STORM/
STORM-PI). Engineering design and manufacturing data would provide
potential enemy with the means to increase small arms fire control from
under armor. The consequences of this would be improved enemy equipment
in the field and decrease technological fire control advantages.
2. The M1 tank will include the following communications suite:
Defense Advanced Global Positioning System (GPS) Receiver (DAGR); AN/
VAS-5 Driver's Vision Enhancer (DVE) and Rear View Sensor System
(RVSS); and Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS).
a. Defense Advanced Global Positioning System (GPS) Receiver
(DAGR)--DAGR is a lightweight (less than two pounds) hand-held or host
platform-mounted, dual frequency, Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing
Module (SAASM) based, Precise Positioning Service (PPS) device. The
DAGR provides real-time positioning, velocity (ground speed),
navigation, and timing (PVNT) information, in stand-alone (dismounted)
and mounted (ground facilities, sea, air, and land vehicles)
configurations. The DAGR can support missions involving land-based war-
fighting and non-war fighting operations. The DAGR can also be used as
a secondary or supplemental aid to aviation-based missions which
involve operations in low-dynamic aircraft, and as an aid to navigation
in water-borne operations. DAGR AN/PSN-13(A) is fitted with the
Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) 3.7 and can accept
cryptographic keys for increased PVNT accuracy and protection from
intentional false or spoofed satellite signals. The AN/PSN-13(A) DAGR
does not output classified information. If a technology advanced
adversary were to obtain knowledge of the specific hardware and
software elements, the information could be used to identify ways of
countering the detection capabilities of the DAGR or improve the
performance of their GPS receivers; however, information available for
the SAASM would not be obtainable. SAASM is a tamper-resistant security
module. The remaining hardware used in the DAGR is considered mature
and available in other industrial nation's comparable performance
thresholds.
b. Drivers Vision Enhancer (DVE) AN/VAS-5 and Rear View Sensor
System (RVSS)--The AN/VAS-5 and RVSS are un-cooled thermal imaging
systems developed for use while driving Combat Vehicles and Tactical
Wheeled Vehicles. DVE and RVSS allow for tactical vehicle movement in
support of operational missions in all environment conditions (day/
night and all weather) and provides enhanced driving capability during
limited visibility conditions (darkness, smoke, dust, fog, etc.). The
DVE program provides night vision targeting capabilities for armored
vehicles and long-range night vision reconnaissance capability to the
warfighter. Engineering design and manufacturing data would provide a
potential enemy with the means to upgrade the quality of efficiency of
thermal devices production. The consequences of this would be improved
enemy equipment of the field. Technical information regarding DVE and
RVSS, including UNCLASSIFIED information, should generally not be
considered for release. The highest level of information that must be
disclosed for production, operation or sale of the end item is
UNCLASSIFIED/FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY.
c. Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS)--The
AN/VRC-92E and RT-1702 SINCGARS provides war-fighting commanders and
troops with a highly reliable, secure, easily maintained Combat Net
Radio (CNR) that has both voice and data handling capability in support
of command and control operations. SINCGARS, with the Internet
Controller, provides the communications link for the digitized force.
SINCGARS is a radio fielded to tactical field elements. It facilitates
the transmission of voice and/or data information, which allows for the
conducting of a myriad of missions across the operational continuum.
SINCGARS is available for the dismounted soldier, ground and aviation
platforms. Training will vary for the radio (RT-1702) and spare and
repair parts for the RT-1702 model are not supported by the Standard
Army Supply Systems. There is sensitive or restricted information
contained in the AN/VRC-92E or software. There would be adverse
consequences of the AN/VRC-92E and software were to be lost to a
technically advanced adversary. If a technology advances adversary were
to obtain knowledge of the specific hardware and software elements, the
information could be used to identify ways of countering the Electronic
Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM). The hardware used in the AN/VRC-92E
and RT-1702 is considered mature.
3. This sale is necessary in furtherance of the U.S. foreign policy
and national security objectives outlined in the Policy Justification.
Moreover, the benefits to be derived from this sale, as outlined in the
Policy
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Justification, outweigh the potential damage that could result if the
sensitive technology were revealed to unauthorized persons.
4. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal
have been authorized for release and export to the Government of
Kuwait.
[FR Doc. 2017-00246 Filed 1-9-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P