[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 18, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17150-17153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08081]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal No. 16-48]


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 16-48 with 
attached Policy Justification.

    Dated: April 12, 2018.
Shelly E. Finke,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.

[[Page 17151]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN18AP18.002

Transmittal No. 16-48
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: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment*................................   $0.15 billion
Other...................................................   $1.16 billion
                                                         ---------------
  TOTAL.................................................   $1.31 billion
 

    (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
    Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
One hundred and eighty (180) 155mm M109A5/A6 Medium Self-Propelled 
Howitzer structures for conversion to one hundred and seventy-seven 
(177) 155mm M109A6 Paladin Medium Self-Propelled Howitzer systems
Three (3) Fire Support Combined Arms Tactical Trainers (FSCATT) static 
training devices
One hundred and eighty (180) M2 HB .50 Cal Machine Guns
Eight (8) Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems (AFATDS)
    Non-MDE: Also included are M109A5/A6 overhaul, conversion and 
refurbishment services; Special Tools and Test Equipment; Basic Issue 
Items (BII); Driver's Vision Enhancer (DVE)

[[Page 17152]]

Wide system; Program Management Support; Verification Testing; System 
Technical Support; Transportation; spare and repair parts; 
communications equipment; personnel training and training equipment; 
tool and test equipment; repair and return; publications and technical 
documentation; Quality Assurance Team (QAT); U.S. Government and 
contractor engineering; technical and logistics support services; and 
other related elements of logistics and program support.
    (iv) Military Department: Army (VTG)
    (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: SR-B-VFM and SR-B-VAZ
    (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: April 5, 2018
    * as defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia--155mm M109A6 Paladin Medium Self-Propelled 
Howitzer System

    The Government of Saudi Arabia has requested a possible sale of one 
hundred and eighty (180) 155mm M109A5/A6 Medium Self-Propelled Howitzer 
structures for conversion to one hundred and seventy-seven (177) 155mm 
M109A6 Paladin Medium Self-Propelled Howitzer systems; three (3) Fire 
Support Combined Arms Tactical Trainers (FSCATT) static training 
devices; one hundred and eighty (180) M2 HB .50 Cal Machine Guns; and 
eight (8) Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems (AFATDS). Also 
included are M109A5/A6 overhaul, conversion and refurbishment services; 
Special Tools and Test Equipment; Basic Issue Items (BII); Driver's 
Vision Enhancer (DVE) Wide system; Program Management Support; 
Verification Testing; System Technical Support; Transportation; spare 
and repair parts; communications equipment; personnel training and 
training equipment; tool and test equipment; repair and return; 
publications and technical documentation; Quality Assurance Team (QAT); 
U.S. Government and contractor engineering; technical and logistics 
support services; and other related elements of logistics and program 
support. The estimated cost is $1.31 billion.
    This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and 
national security of the United States by helping to improve the 
security of an important partner which has been and continues to be a 
leading contributor of political stability and economic progress in the 
Middle East. This sale will increase the Royal Saudi Land Force's 
(RSLF) interoperability with U.S. forces and conveys U.S. commitment to 
Saudi Arabia's security and armed forces modernization.
    The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia's capability to meet 
current and future threats and provide greater security for its border 
regions and critical infrastructure. The RSLF currently has M109A2, A3 
and A5 howitzers in its inventory. These additional modernized 
howitzers will enhance Saudi Arabia's ability to support its deployed 
forces and defend its borders. Saudi Arabia will have no difficulty 
absorbing these vehicles into its armed forces.
    The prime contractor for this requirement is unknown at this time. 
There are no known offset agreements in connection with this potential 
sale.
    Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the 
assignment of any additional U.S. or contractor representatives to 
Saudi Arabia. Support teams will travel to the country on a temporary 
basis.
    There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a 
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 16-48
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. This sale will involve the release of sensitive technology to 
Saudi Arabia. The RSLF seeks to purchase the 155mm M109A6 Paladin 
Medium Self-Propelled Howitzer system. The Paladin M109A6 howitzer is 
the fourth product improvement to the original M109 self-propelled 
howitzer. It features improvements in the areas of survivability, 
reliability, availability, maintainability, responsiveness, and 
terminal effects. The M109A6 is an armored, full tracked howitzer 
carrying 37 complete conventional rounds and two Copperhead projectiles 
and operated by a crew of four. It is designed with a new turret 
structure that facilitates integration of the various turret 
improvements and vulnerability reduction measures. It improves overall 
crew compartment layout and space. The howitzer can travel at a maximum 
speed of 38 miles per hour and has a maximum cruising range of 186 
miles. The Ml09A6 can operate independently, from on the move, it can 
receive a fire mission, compute firing data, select and take up its 
firing position, automatically unlock and point its cannon, fire and 
move--all without external technical assistance. Firing the first round 
following a move in under 60 seconds, a ``shoot and scoot'' capability 
protects the crew from counterbattery fire. The M109A6 is capable of 
firing up to four rounds per minute to ranges of 30 kilometers. The 
Ml09A6 features increased survivability characteristics such as day/
night operability and Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) protection 
with climate control and secure voice and digital communications. The 
crew remains in the vehicle throughout the mission.
    2. The Electronic Fire Control System (EFCS). Commonly referred to 
as the Paladin Fire Control System (PFCS), it is the major change for 
the Paladin M109A6 Howitzer from the manual fire control system used on 
the M109A5. The integrated electronic digital Fire Control System 
includes an Embedded Trainer. It gives the howitzer the ability to 
operate over a widely dispersed area and to move and emplace using the 
onboard fire control system (Dynamic Reference Unit Hybrid Replacement 
Inertial Navigation System) and a plug-in AN/PCN-13A Defense Advanced 
Global Positioning System Receiver with a Selective Availability Anti-
spoofing Module (SAASM). The M109A6 can move and position within an 
assigned position area, process technical firing data, and fire a 
mission without relying on aiming circles and wire lines. The M109A6 
can change position more frequently, an advantage against enemy fire.
    3. The Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) 
provides the multi-service automated Fire Support Command, Control and 
Communications portion of the Army Battle Command System (ABCS). AFATDS 
enables the maneuver commander to plan and execute attacks on the right 
target, at the right time, with the right weapons system, and the right 
munitions. It provides for maximum utilization of the fire support 
assets available on an expanding battlefield. It supports the close, 
deep, and rear battle fire support requirements of land and littoral 
doctrine. AFATDS is designed for full interoperability with the other 
ABCS Battlefield Functional Areas as well as with the Fire Support 
capabilities of the Navy's Joint Maritime Command Information System 
(JMCIS) and the Air Force's Theater Battle Management Core System 
(TBMCS).

[[Page 17153]]

    4. The Driver's Vision Enhancer Wide (DVE Wide) improves 
survivability and mission capability by providing drivers with wider 
fields of view as well as the elimination of blind spots to safely 
navigate through dust, sand, haze, smoke, light fog and the blackest 
night. The front facing DVE Wide integrates three state-of-the-art 640 
x 480, 17 [micro]m uncooled infrared sensors, which output a stitched 
video of a 107 x 30 field of view (POV). The DVE Wide can receive, 
manage and display video from multiple external cameras on the vehicle. 
The driver can electronically pan through the 107[deg] total horizontal 
field of view allowing the driver the ability to see both sides of the 
road. The vehicle wheel track indicators aid the driver in clearly 
identifying any potential impediments to safe operation. The DVE Wide 
is fully backwards compatible with all fielded DVE units, which means 
that any vehicle currently equipped with a DVE system can be readily 
upgraded. It is also forward compatible with new, high resolution, 
touch-screen displays. The DVE Wide is an UNCLASSIFIED system.
    5. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain knowledge 
of the specific hardware and software elements of the M109A6, the 
information could be used to develop countermeasures or equivalent 
systems which might reduce weapon system effectiveness or be used in 
the development of a system with similar or advanced capabilities.
    6. A determination has been made that Saudi Arabia can provide 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.
    7. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal 
have been authorized for release and export to the Kingdom of Saudi 
Arabia.

[FR Doc. 2018-08081 Filed 4-17-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-06-P