[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 241 (Monday, December 16, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68431-68434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27050]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal No. 19-62]


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.

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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 19-62 with 
attached Policy Justification and Sensitivity of Technology.

    Dated: December 10, 2019.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Department of Defense.
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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN16DE19.078

BILLING CODE 5001-06-C

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Transmittal No. 19-62
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 Thailand
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment *................  $300 million
Other....................................  $100 million
                                          ------------------------------
  TOTAL..................................  $400 million
 

    (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
    Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Eight (8) AH-6i Helicopters, Light Attack-Reconnaissance
Fifty (50) AGM-114R Hellfire
Two-hundred (200) Advance Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) Rockets
    Non-MDE:
    Also included are ten (10) M134 Mini Guns, ten (10) M260 Rocket 
Launchers, ten (10) M299 Longbow Hellfire Launcher, ten (10) AN/APN-209 
Radar Altimeter, eight (8) AN/APR-39(V)(4), four (4) GAU-19/B .50 Cal 
Machine Gun, five-hundred (500) Hydra 70 Rockets, twenty (20) AN/AVS-6 
Night Vision Goggles, eight (8) WESCAM MX-10Di Cameras, ten (10) AN/
APX-123 IFF, ten (10) AN/ARC 201E-VHF-FM, ten (10) AN/ARC-231 w/ MX-
4027, ten (10) LN-251 Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning 
System (EGI), Aircrew Trainer (ACT), Pilot Desktop Trainer (PDT), 
Virtual Maintenance Trainer (VMT), contractor provided pilot and 
maintainer training, peculiar ground support equipment, spares, 
publications, integrated product support, technical assistance, quality 
assurance team, transportation, and other related elements of logistics 
and program support.
    (iv) Military Department: Army (TH-B-WHB)
    (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: None
    (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: September 24, 2019
    *As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

Thailand--AH-6i Helicopters

    The Government of Thailand has requested to buy eight (8) AH-6i 
light attack reconnaissance helicopters; fifty (50) AGM-114R Hellfire 
missiles; and two-hundred (200) Advance Precision Kill Weapon System 
(APKWS) Rockets. Also included are ten (10) M134 Mini Guns, ten (10) 
M260 Rocket Launchers; ten (1) M299 Longbow Hellfire Launcher; ten (10) 
AN/APN-209 Radar Altimeter; eight (8) AN/APR-39(V)(4) four (4) GAU-19/B 
.50 Cal Machine Gun; five-hundred (500) Hydra 70 Rockets; twenty (20) 
AN/AVS-6 Night Vision Goggles; eight (8) WESCAM MX-10Di Cameras; ten 
(10) AN/APX-123 IFF; ten (10) AN/ARC 201E-VHF-FM; ten (10) AN/ARC-231 
w/ MX-4027; ten (10) LN-251 Inertial Navigation System/Global 
Positioning System (EGI); Aircrew Trainer (ACT); Pilot Desktop Trainer 
(PDT); Virtual Maintenance Trainer (VMT;, contractor provided pilot and 
maintainer training peculiar ground support equipment; spares; 
publications; integrated product support; technical assistance; quality 
assurance team; transportation; and other related elements of logistics 
and program support. The total estimated program cost is $400 million.
    This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national 
security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the 
security of a Major Non-NATO ally in INDO-PACOM. Thailand is a 
strategic partner committed to contributing to regional security.
    The proposed sale of the AH-6i helicopter will improve the Royal 
Thai Army's (RTA) light attack capability to strengthen its homeland 
defense and deter regional threats. These AH-6i helicopters will 
replace the RTA's aging fleet of seven AH-IF Cobra helicopters. As part 
of a broader military modernization effort, these AH-6i helicopters 
will provide light attack reconnaissance for close air support to 
special operations forces, Stryker infantry soldiers and border guard 
units. Thailand 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 contractor for the AH-6i is Boeing Company, Mesa, 
Arizona. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection 
with this potential sale.
    Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the 
assignment of any permanent additional U.S. Government or Contractor 
representatives to Thailand.
    There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a 
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 19-62
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 AH-6i Light Attack Helicopter is a commercial-off-the-shelf, 
light attack/reconnaissance helicopter to include AN/APX-123 
Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) Mode S Transponder, AN/ARC 201E-VHF 
/FM Radio, AN/ARC-231 w/ MX-4027 Radio and LN 251 Embedded GPS/INS 
(EGI). The helicopter will be equipped with the WESCAM MX-10Di Sight/
Targeting Sensor to ensure commonality and interoperability with the 
other aircraft platforms. The airframe itself does not contain 
sensitive technology.
    2. Identification and security classification of sensitive 
technological information and/or restricted information contained in 
the equipment, major components, subsystems, software, technical data 
(Performance, Maintenance, R&M, etc.) documentation, training devices 
and services to be conveyed with the proposed sale. Also a brief 
explanation of why information is sensitive:
    a. The AN/APX-123, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) Transponder, 
is a space diversity transponder and is installed on various military 
platforms. When installed in conjunction with platform antennas and the 
RCU (or other appropriate control unit), the transponder provides 
identification, altitude and surveillance reporting in response to 
interrogations from airborne, ground-based and/or surface 
interrogators. The transponder provides operational capabilities for 
Mark XII Identification IFF capabilities of Modes 1, 2, 2/A, C and 4&5 
and Modes S (levels 1, 2, and 3 capable).
    b. The LN-251 INS/GPS is a satellite based positioning system 
coupled to the aircraft inertial navigation system to provide aircraft 
position and navigation. The INS/GPS has an embedded SAASM and has gyro 
and accelerometers that have been evaluated as MTCR Category II 
controlled items, specifically items 9.A.6 and 9.A.8.
    c. The WESCAM MX-10Di is a small Multi-Sensor, Multi-Spectral 
Imaging System with Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and Embedded with 
Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Positioning Service (SPS). 
WESCAM MX-10 is embedded with GPS SPS. SPS is a three dimensional 
position and time determination capability provided to a user equipped 
with a minimum capability GPS SPS receiver in

[[Page 68434]]

accordance with GPS national policy. The LN-200 is a small, lightweight 
fiber optic IMU comprised of gyro and accelerometers that have been 
evaluated as MTCR Category II controlled item, specifically item 9.A.6.
    d. The M134 Mini Gun has variable rates of fire-up to 4000 rounds 
per minute-and has seen increasingly widespread deployment over the 
last several years.
    e. The AN/APR-39 (V) (4) Radar Signal Detecting Set is a system 
that provides warning of a radar directed air defense threat and allow 
appropriate countermeasures.
    f. The 12.7mm (.50 caliber) GAU-19/B Externally Powered Gatling 
Gun, has variable rates of fire-up to 2000 rounds per minute-and has 
seen increasingly widespread deployment over the last several years.
    g. The M299 Longbow Hellfire Launcher (LBHL) is a digital missile 
launcher capable of carry and launch of up to four of any combination 
of AGM-114 missiles. The launcher provides electronic functions 
required for the missile and launcher to communicate with the platform 
through MIL-STD-1760 and MIL-STD-1553 interfaces. The production quad-
rail configuration was designed for use on the AH-64D Apache Longbow 
but is also commonly used on a wide variety of other rotary-wing 
platforms across all services. The M299 launcher has also been 
successfully re-configured into a dual rail launcher for weight savings 
and/or use on smaller platforms and also into a single-rail 
configuration for use on Un-manned Air System (UAS) platforms where the 
launcher electronics is integrated within the platform airframe.
    h. The AGM-114 Hellfire II is a precision strike, Semi-Active Laser 
(SAL) guided missile and is the principal air-to-ground weapon for the 
Army AH-64 Apache. It provides the warfighter with an air-to-ground, 
point target precision strike capability to defeat advanced armor and 
an array of traditional and non-traditional targets. The Hellfire AGM-
114R model is a selectable multipurpose warhead providing effects 
against a diverse target set.
    i. 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.
    j. The APKWS is a low cost semi-active laser guidance kit developed 
by BAE Systems which is added to current unguided 70 mm rocket motors 
and warheads similar to and including the Hydra 70 rocket. It is a low 
collateral damage weapon that can effectively strike both soft and 
lightly armored targets. APKWS turns a standard unguided 2.75 inch (70 
mm) rocket into a precision laser-guided rocket.
    k. AN/AVS-6 (Helmet Mounted) Night Vision Goggles. The AN/AVS-6 NVG 
is a 3rd generation aviation NVG offering higher resolution, high gain, 
and photo response to near infrared. AN/AVS-6 is a lightweight, 
binocular, night vision imaging system developed by the US Army 
specifically for helicopter flying. The system can be mounted to a 
variety of aviator helmets, including the SPH-4B, HGU-56P, HGU-5/P, 
HGU-55/G, HGU-26/P and Alpha. A 25mm eye relief eyepieces easily 
accommodate eyeglasses. Low-profile battery pack improves aviator head 
mobility and increases battery life. Other features include flip-up/
flop-down capability, simple binocular attachment, individual 
interpapillary adjustment, tilt, vertical and fore-aft adjustments to 
fit all aviators.
    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 that might reduce weapon system 
effectiveness or be used in the development of a system with similar or 
advanced capabilities.
    4. A determination has been made that Thailand 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.
    5. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal 
have been authorized for release and export to Thailand.

[FR Doc. 2019-27050 Filed 12-13-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-06-P