[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 6, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2178-2181]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-01227]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal No. 18-08]


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: Karma Job at [email protected] 
or (703) 697-8976.

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 18-08 with 
attached Policy Justification.

    Dated: February 1, 2019.
Shelly E. Finke,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.

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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN06FE19.002

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Transmittal No. 18-08
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: Kingdom of Morocco
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment *...............  $ .009 billion
Other...................................  $1.250 billion
                                         -------------------------------
  TOTAL.................................  $1.259 billion
 

    (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
    Enhancement of one hundred sixty-two (162) Abrams tanks procured 
through the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program to one of the 
following variants: M1A1 Situational Awareness (baseline version), 
M1A2M (includes Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer) or M1A1 U.S. 
Marine Corps version (includes Slew to Cue).
    Major Defense Equipment (MDE):

One hundred sixty-two (162) M2 Chrysler Mount Machine Guns
Three hundred twenty-four (324) M240 Machine Guns
One thousand thirty-five (1,035) M865 Training SABOT Rounds
One thousand six hundred ten (1,610) M831A1 HEAT Rounds

    Non-MDE:
    Also included are one hundred sixty-two (162) Export Single Channel 
Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS); one hundred sixty-two 
(162) RT-1702 Receiver Transmitter; one hundred sixty-two (162) M250 
Smoke Grenade Launchers; M962 .50 caliber rounds; special armor; 
Hunter/Killer technology, which may include the Commander's Independent 
Thermal Viewer (CITV) or Slew to Cue solution; Commander's Weapon 
Station Variant which may include the Commander's Weapon Station (CWS), 
Stabilized Commander's Weapon Station (SCWS), or Common Remotely 
Operated Weapon Station- Low Profile (CROW-LP); spare parts; support 
equipment; upgrade/maintenance of engines and transmissions; depot 
level support; Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE); repair parts; 
communication support equipment; tool and test equipment; training; 
U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics 
support services; and other related elements of logistics and program 
support.
    (iv) Military Department: Army (MO-B-USQ, Amendment 1)
    (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: MO-B-USQ
    (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: November 28, 2018

    * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

Morocco--Abrams Tank Enhancement, Support, and Equipment

    The Government of Morocco has requested to purchase enhancements to 
one hundred sixty-two (162) Abrams tanks procured through the Excess 
Defense Article (EDA) program to one of the following variants: M1A1 
Situational Awareness (baseline version), M1A2M (includes Commander's 
Independent Thermal Viewer) or M1A1 U.S. Marine Corps version (includes 
Slew to Cue). Included in the possible sale are one hundred sixty-two 
(162) M2 Chrysler Mount Machine Guns; three hundred twenty-four (324) 
M240 Machine Guns; one thousand thirty-five (1,035) M865 Training SABOT 
Rounds; and one thousand, six hundred ten (1,610) M831Al HEAT Rounds. 
Also included are one hundred sixty-two (162) Export Single Channel 
Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS); one hundred sixty-two 
(162) RT-1702 Receiver Transmitter; one hundred sixty-two (162) M250 
Smoke Grenade Launchers; M962 .50 caliber rounds; special armor; 
Hunter/Killer technology, which may include the Commander's Independent 
Thermal Viewer (CITV) or Slew to Cue solution; Commander's Weapon 
Station Variant which may include the Commander's Weapon Station (CWS), 
Stabilized Commander's Weapon Station (SCWS), or Common Remotely 
Operated Weapon Station- Low Profile (CROW-LP); spare parts; support 
equipment; upgrade/maintenance of engines and transmissions; depot 
level support; Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE); repair parts; 
communication support equipment; tool and test equipment; training; 
U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics 
support services; and other related elements of logistics and program 
support. The total estimated program cost is $1.259 billion.
    This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national 
security objectives of the United States by improving the security and 
capacity of a major Non-NATO Ally.
    This proposed sale of M1A1 tank enhancements will contribute to the 
modernization of Morocco's tank fleet, enhancing its ability to meet 
current and future threats. These tanks will contribute to Morocco's 
goal of updating its military capability while further enhancing 
interoperability with the United States and other allies. Morocco 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 prime contractor will be General Dynamics Land Systems in 
Sterling Heights, Michigan. Refurbishment work will be performed at 
Anniston Army Depot in Anniston, Alabama and the Joint Systems 
Manufacturing Center in Lima, Ohio. There are currently no known offset 
agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale, but one is 
expected due to Moroccan law.
    Implementation of this proposed sale will require annual trips to 
Morocco involving up to 55 U.S. Government and 13 contractor 
representatives for a period of up to five years to manage the fielding 
and training for the program.
    There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a 
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 18-08
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. 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 gunner and commander with the ability to effectively 
aim and fire the tank main armament system under a broad range of 
adverse battlefield conditions. The Hunter/Killer technology provides 
the capability for the commander to search and acquire targets while 
the gunner engages priority targets. 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 
(CONFIDENTIAL).
    2. 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

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manufacturing data related to special armor are also classified SECRET.
    3. AGT 1500 Gas Turbine Propulsion System. The use of a gas turbine 
propulsion system in the M1A1 Abrams tank is a unique application of 
armored vehicle power pack technology. The hardware is composed of the 
AGT-1500 engine and transmission, and is not classified. Manufacturing 
processes associated with the production of turbine blades, 
recuperator, bearings and shafts, and hydrostatic pump and motor, are 
proprietary and therefore commercially competition sensitive.
    4. Compartmentation. A major survivability feature of the Abrams 
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. As demonstrated during the Abram Live Fire 
tests, compartmentation significantly enhances crew survivability and 
substantially reduces the likelihood of the tank being immobilized by 
an ammunition explosion and fire. Sensitive information includes the 
performance of the ammunition compartments as well as the compartment 
design parameters.
    5. 120mm Gun and Ammunition. This gun and ammunition suite are 
composed of a 120mm smoothbore gun manufactured at Watervliet Arsenal, 
``long rod'' APFSDS warheads, and combustible cartridge case 
ammunition. The current plan is to supply used cannons inducted at 
Anniston Army Depot, which are to be inspected according to established 
criteria and shipped to Lima Army Tank Plant. There may not be a need 
to procure new cannons for this program.
    6. The CROWS-LP (M153A2E1) is a commander's weapon station. It 
allows for under armor operation of weapons--M2HB, M2A1, M240B 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 for ``first-burst'' on target capability from 
stationary and moving platforms. The CROWS-LP incorporates a day camera 
(VIM-C), thermal camera (TIM 1500) and laser range finder (STORM/STORM-
PI).
    7. M831Al Target Practice-Tracer (TP-T). The M831Al cartridge is a 
target practice round used to simulate the ballistics of the M830 High 
Explosive Anti-tank Multiple Purpose with Tracer (HEAT MP-T). The 
external cartridge is identical in appearance to the M830, but the 
round does not contain any explosives, shape charge liner, base fuze, 
or nose cap. The highest level of information that could be transferred 
with the sale of this round is UNCLASSIFIED. There are no sensitivity 
of technology issues with the HEAT MP-T, and the round is UNCLASSIFIED.
    8. M865 Target Practice, Cone Stabilized, Discarding Sabot-Tracer. 
The M856 is a kinetic energy training round used to simulate the 
ballistics of the M829 Armor-piercing, Finstabilized, Discarding Sabot-
Tracer service round. The M856 utilizes a unique cone stabilizer to 
limit the training round's flight range to 8km. The highest level of 
information that could be transferred with the sale of this round is 
UNCLASSIFIED.
    9. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain knowledge 
of the hardware and software elements, the information could be used to 
develop countermeasures or equivalent systems which might reduce system 
effectiveness or be used in the development of a system with similar or 
advanced capabilities.
    10. A determination has been made that the Government of Morocco 
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.
    11. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal 
have been authorized for release and export to Morocco.

[FR Doc. 2019-01227 Filed 2-5-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-06-P