[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 151 (Tuesday, August 8, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37080-37081]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-16612]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal No. 17-34]


Arms Sales Notification

AGENCY: Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Department of Defense.

ACTION: Arms sales notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text 
of an arms sales notification.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pamela Young, (703) 697-9107, 
[email protected] or Kathy Valadez, (703) 697-9217, 
[email protected]; DSCA/DSA-RAN.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 36(b)(1) arms sales notification is 
published to fulfill the requirements of section 155 of Public Law 104-
164 dated July 21, 1996. The following is a copy of a letter to the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Transmittal 17-34 with 
attached Policy Justification and Sensitivity of Technology.

    Dated: August 2, 2017.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN08AU17.001


[[Page 37081]]


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Transmittal No. 17-34
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 Australia
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment *..............................   $100.0 million
Other..................................................     $1.4 million
                                                        ----------------
  TOTAL................................................   $101.4 million
 

    (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
    Major Defense Equipment (MDE):

Thirty-two (32) Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems--Joint 
Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) with four channel Concurrent Multi-
Network (CMN-4)
Thirty-nine (39) AN/ALQ-214A(V)4 Countermeasure Systems

    Non-MDE includes: Also included in this sale are system integration 
and testing, software development/integration, test sets and support 
equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical 
documents, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, and 
other related elements of logistical and program support.
    (iv) Military Department: Navy (XX-P-GQF A1)
    (v) Prior Related Cases, if any:
AT-P-SAF--$2.2B--02 May 07 (F/A-18F aircraft procurement)
AT-P-GQY--$358M--6 May 11 (first AF/A-18F sustainment)
AT-P-LEN--$992M--13 September 12 (Airborne Electronic Attack kit 
procurement)
AT-P-SCI--$1.3B--4 July 13 (EA-18G aircraft procurement)
    (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: July 10, 2017.
    * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

Australia--Upgrades for F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Aircraft

    The Government of Australia requested the possible sale of thirty-
two (32) Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical 
Radio System (MIDS JTRS) with four channel Concurrent Multi-Network 
(CMN-4), and thirty-nine (39) AN/ALQ-214A(V)4 Countermeasure Systems. 
This will also include all system integration and testing, component 
improvement, test and tools equipment upgrades, support equipment 
replenishment, supply support, publications and technical document 
updates, personnel training and training equipment upgrades, aircrew 
trainer device upgrades, U.S. Government and contractor technical 
assistance and other related elements of logistical and program 
support. The total estimated program cost is $101.4 million.
    This sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national 
security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a 
major contributor to political stability, security, and economic 
development in the Western Pacific. Australia is an important Major 
non-NATO Ally and partner that contributes significantly to 
peacekeeping and humanitarian operations around the world. It is vital 
to the U.S. national interest to assist our ally in developing and 
maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability.
    The proposed sale will improve Australia's capability in current 
and future coalition efforts. This equipment will help the Royal 
Australian Air Force better communicate with and protect its F/A-18 
aircraft, and the addition of MIDS JTRS will accomplish the goal of 
making U.S. and Australian aircraft more interoperable when supporting 
operational forces. Australia will have no difficulty absorbing this 
equipment into its armed forces.
    The proposed sale of this equipment does not alter the basic 
military balance in the region.
    The prime contractors will be the Harris Corporation, Melbourne, 
FL. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with 
this potential sale.
    Implementation of this proposed sale may require the assignment of 
U.S. contractor representatives to Australia which will be determined 
at a later date.
    There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a 
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 17-34
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. Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Joint 
Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Concurrent Multi-Network (CMN-4) is 
classified CONFIDENTIAL. MIDS JTRS CMN-4 is a secure data and voice 
communication network using the Link-16 architecture. The system 
provides enhanced situational awareness, positive identification of 
participants with the network, secure fighter-to-fighter connectivity, 
and secure voice capability. It provides three major functions: Air 
Control, Wide Area Surveillance, and Fighter-to-Fighter. The MIDS JTRS 
CMN-4 can be used to transfer data in Air-to-Air, Air-to-Surface and 
Fighter-to-Fighter scenarios.
    2. The AN/ALQ-214A(V)4 is an advanced airborne Integrated Defensive 
Electronic Countermeasures (IDECM) programmable modular automated 
system capable of intercepting, identifying, processing received radar 
signals (pulsed and continuous) and applying an optimum probability of 
survival from a variety of surface-to-air and air-to-air RF threats. 
The system operates in a standalone or Electronic Warfare (EW) suite 
mode. In the EW suite mode, the system operates various dispensable 
countermeasures and the onboard radar in the F/A-18E/F in a 
coordinated, non-interference manner, sharing information for enhanced 
information. The ALQ-214 was designed to operate in a high-density 
Electromagnetic Hostile Environment with the ability to identify and 
counter a wide variety of multiple threats including those with Doppler 
characteristics. Hardware with the AN/ALQ-214A(V)4 is classified 
CONFIDENTIAL.
    3. 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 system which might 
reduce system effectiveness or be used in the development of a system 
with similar or advanced capabilities.
    4. A determination has been made that Australia can provide 
substantially the same degree of protection for the sensitive 
technology being released as the U.S. 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 Australia.

[FR Doc. 2017-16612 Filed 8-7-17; 8:45 am]
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