[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 217 (Thursday, November 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55873-55876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-24410]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal No. 18-41]


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: DSCA at dsca.ncr.lmo.mbx.info@mail.mil">dsca.ncr.lmo.mbx.info@mail.mil 
or (703) 697-9709.

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 18-41 with 
attached Policy Justification and Sensitivity of Technology.

    Dated: November 2, 2018.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.

[[Page 55874]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN08NO18.001

Transmittal No. 18-41
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 Iraq
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment *...............................  $00.20 million
Other...................................................  $82.30 million
                                                         ---------------
  Total.................................................  $82.50 million
 

    (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
Services under Consideration for Purchase: Five (5) Armed Bell 407GX 
Helicopters configured with the following equipment:
    Major Defense Equipment (MDE): Five (5) M240 7.62mm Machine Guns
    Non-MDE: Also included are five (5) RF-7850A Secure Communications 
Radios, five (5) AN/AAR-60 MILDS Automatic Plume Detectors, five (5) 
AN/ALE-47 Airborne Countermeasure Dispensing Systems, five (5) M3P .50 
Caliber Machine Guns, five (5) M260 Rocket Launchers (APKWS 
Configuration), five (5) MX-15Di EO/IR

[[Page 55875]]

Sensors, five (5) GAU-19 .50 Caliber Machine Guns, five (5) Pathfinder 
Mission Management Systems, five (5) ARES Weapon Management Systems, 
five (5) Mission Configurable Armament Systems (MCAS), night vision 
compatible lighting systems, aircraft intercommunications systems 
(ICS), cockpit and seat armor kits, and bifurcated exhaust infrared 
suppressor systems, operating manuals, spare parts, maintenance and 
operator training for radio systems, technical and logistics support 
services, and other related elements of logistical and program support.
    (iv) Military Department: Army (IQ-B-AEA)
    (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: IQ-B-VPN
    (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: October 3, 2018
    * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

Iraq--Armed Bell 407GX Helicopters

    The Government of Iraq has requested to buy five (5) Armed Bell 
407GX helicopters configured with five (5) M240 7.62mm Machine Guns. 
Also included are five (5) RF-7850A Secure Communications Radios, five 
(5) AN/AAR-60 MILDS Automatic Plume Detectors, five (5) AN/ALE-47 
Airborne Countermeasure Dispensing Systems, five (5) M3P .50 Caliber 
Machine Guns, five (5) M260 Rocket Launchers (APKWS Configuration), 
five (5) MX-15Di EO/IR Sensors, five (5) GAU-19 .50 Caliber Machine 
Guns, five (5) Pathfinder Mission Management Systems, five (5) ARES 
Weapon Management Systems, five (5) Mission Configurable Armament 
Systems (MCAS), night vision compatible lighting systems, aircraft 
intercommunications systems (ICS), cockpit and seat armor kits, and 
bifurcated exhaust infrared suppressor systems, operating manuals, 
spare parts, maintenance and operator training for radio systems, 
technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of 
logistical and program support. The total estimated program cost is 
$82.5 million.
    This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national 
security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a 
strategic partner. The addition of five Bell 407GX helicopters will 
help compensate for the combat loss of seven IA407 helicopters in 
recent years and increase the Iraqi Security Forces' combat 
effectiveness against ISIS and other terrorist elements in Iraq. The 
407GX variant--an upgrade from the current IA407 configuration--
includes Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) launchers. 
Providing Iraq with this capability supports U.S. security goals by 
furthering the Iraqi Army Aviation Command's ability to counter 
terrorism and protect critical infrastructure. Iraq 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 will be Bell, Fort Worth, TX; L3 WESCAM, 
Burlington, Ontario, Canada; Dillon, Scottsdale, AZ; Tekfusion Global, 
Williamsburg, VA; Harris, Melbourne, FL; and Fulcrum Concepts, 
Mattaponi, VA. There are no known offset agreements associated with 
this proposed sale.
    Implementation of this proposed sale will require approximately 17 
contractor representatives to travel to Iraq in support of this effort. 
The GOI desires Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) presence in country.
    There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a 
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 18-41
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 Bell 407GX Multi-Role Helicopter weapon system contains 
communications and target identification equipment, navigation 
equipment, aircraft survivability equipment, displays, and sensors. The 
airframe itself does not contain sensitive technology, however the 
pertinent equipment listed below will be either installed on the 
aircraft or included in the sale:
    a. The Harris Falcon III RF-7850A Secure Communication Radio is a 
Multi-Channel Airborne Networking Radio that offers multi-channel and 
multiband capabilities. It integrates into a wide variety of platforms 
to support multiple missions, waveforms and modes of operation and 
provides two wideband channels. The Harris Multi-channel Airborne Radio 
extends battlefield networks Beyond-Line-Of-Sight through tactical VHF/
UHF networks to provide extended range and secure air-to-air and air-
to-ground communications. The Harris Falcon III hardware is a 
commercial variant radio and the highest level of information that 
would be released in support of this transfer is at the UNCLASSIFIED 
level.
    b. The AN/AAR-60 MILDS Automatic Plume Detector is a Missile Launch 
Detection System (MILDS)/Airborne Missile Protection System (AMPS) or 
AMPS-M and is based on the off-the-shelf product MILDS AN/AAR-60 UV-
Sensor Units and features a MILDS Control and Display Unit (MCDU), an 
Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and Smart Dispensers (SD). The MILDS 
AMPS represents a complete Missile Protection System and will be used 
for stand alone installation and operation of an integrated missile 
warning and Counter Measures dispensing in helicopters. The highest 
level of information release in support of this transfer is at the 
UNCLASSIFIED level.
    c. The M3P .50 Cal machine gun is a fully automatic .50 Cal 
(12.7x99mm NATO) machine gun specifically designed to be axially or 
coaxially mounted in pod or open-air gun configurations for airborne, 
land or sea weapon system applications. The M3P is a world exclusivity 
by FN Herstal and offers high firing rate for short time on target: 
1,025  75 RPM. The highest level of information release in 
support of this transfer is at the UNCLASSIFIED level.
    d. The M260 Rocket Launcher with APKWS capability is a seven tube 
rocket launcher with a remote fuze setting function. Once the target is 
located, single or multiple pairs of the Hydra 70 APKWS folding-fin 
rockets can be launched toward the target when a predetermined time 
signal is sent to the electronic time fuze. The highest level of 
information release in support of this transfer is at the UNCLASSIFIED 
level.
    e. The M240 is a general-purpose machine gun that uses 7.62 mm NATO 
ammunition. It can be mounted on a bipod, tripod, aircraft, or vehicle. 
The M240 is a belt-fed, air-cooled, gas- operated, fully automatic 
machine gun that fires from the open bolt position. The highest level 
of information release in support of this transfer is at the 
UNCLASSIFIED level.
    f. The MX-15Di EO/IR sensor is a multi-sensor imaging/lasing that 
can provide medium-altitude; Covert Intelligence, Surveillance & 
Reconnaissance (ISR), Armed Reconnaissance, CSAR and Target Designation 
missions. MX-15Di has HD imaging resolution from Electro-Optical (EO) 
and Infrared (IR) cameras, Short-wave IR imaging, Laser rangefinder/
designator 3 laser illuminator. The highest level of information 
release in

[[Page 55876]]

support of this transfer is at the UNCLASSIFIED level.
    g. The GAU-19 machine is a low-cost weapon system that is designed 
to accept standard NATO .50 caliber M9-linked ammunition with a rate of 
fire of 1300 rounds per minute. The weapon provides highly effective 
firepower against area suppression and point targets, as well as being 
ideally suited for utility, scout and attack helicopters. The highest 
level of information release in support of this transfer is at the 
UNCLASSIFIED level.
    h. The Pathfinder Mission Management System (MMS) is a modular 
customizable system that provides command and control of onboard 
navigation, communication, and peripheral electronic equipment. During 
target engagements, locations and range to target is passed from 
Pathfinder to the weapons management system. The highest level of 
information release in support of this transfer is at the UNCLASSIFIED 
level.
    i. The ARES Weapons Management System (WMS) is a modular weapons 
management system that uses the aircraft's EO/IR monitor as the WMS 
interface using a touchscreen graphical user interface (GUI). The 
system is fully integrated with the MX-15Di sensors critical EO/IR 
functions that can be controlled through the user interface. The system 
provides aircraft steering commands and targeting overlays to guide the 
pilot into the proper launch constraints by consolidating mission 
execution tasks. The highest level of information release in support of 
this transfer is at the UNCLASSIFIED level.
    j. The Mission Configurable Armament System (MCAS) is a plank type 
weapons mounting system. The MCAS was developed as a lightweight, high 
strength, multi-purpose, multi-airframe weapons platform utilizing up 
to 6 weapon stations. The highest level of information release in 
support of this transfer is at the UNCLASSIFIED level.
    k. The AN/ALE-47 is a software reprogrammable dispenser for chaff 
and flares. It provides for either automatic or aircrew commanded 
response dispense capabilities. Specific dispense routines are 
sensitive and are specifically withheld from Iraq. The export version 
uses a country unique ``look-up decision tree'' for determining 
dispense routines. This software when loaded into the AN/ALE-47 is 
classified CONFIDENTIAL. Increased risk of exploitation is 
significantly reduced given that the software is in executable form 
only (i.e. binary code) and the actual dispense routines can be gained 
through visual observation, which is true for all coalition platforms 
flying in Iraq.
    2. If a technologically advanced adversary obtained knowledge of 
the specific hardware or software in the proposed sale, the information 
could be used to develop counter-measures which might reduce weapons 
system effectiveness or be used in the development of a system with 
similar or advanced capabilities.
    3. A determination has been made that the recipient government can 
provide substantially the same degree of protection for the technology 
being released as the U.S. Government. This sale supports the U.S. 
foreign policy and national security objectives as outlined in the 
Policy Justification.
    4. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal 
have been authorized for release and export to the Government of Iraq.

[FR Doc. 2018-24410 Filed 11-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-06-P