[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 250 (Tuesday, December 31, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72336-72339]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-28189]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
[Transmittal No. 20-0A]
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)(5)(C) 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 20-0A with
attached Policy Justification and Sensitivity of Technology.
Dated: December 23, 2019.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
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Transmittal No. 20-0A
REPORT OF ENHANCEMENT OR UPGRADE OF SENSITIVITY OF TECHNOLOGY OR
CAPABILITY (SEC. 36(B)(5)(C), AECA)
(i) Purchaser: Government of Italy
(ii) Sec. 36(b)(1), AECA Transmittal No.: 08-60
Date: August 1, 2008
Military Department: Air Force
(iii) Description: On August 1, 2008, Congress was notified by
Congressional certification transmittal number 08-60 of the possible
sale, under Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, of 4 MQ-9
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), 3 Mobile Ground Control Stations, five
years of maintenance support, engineering support, test equipment,
ground support, operational flight test support, communications
equipment, technical assistance, personnel training/equipment, spare
and repair parts, and other related elements of logistics support.
These UAVs included AN/DPY-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar/Ground Moving
Target Indicator (SAR/GMTI) systems with 0.3 to 3 meter resolution. The
estimated total cost was $330 million. Major Defense Equipment (MDE)
constituted $50 million of this total.
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On November 18, 2009, Congress was notified by Congressional
certification transmittal number 09-60 of the possible sale, under
Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, of two unarmed MQ-9
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), one (1) Mobile Ground Control Station,
maintenance support, engineering support, test equipment, ground
support, operational flight test support, communications equipment,
technical assistance, personnel training/equipment, spare and repair
parts, and other related elements of logistics support. These UAVs
included AN/DPY-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar/Ground Moving Target
Indicator (SAR/GMTI) systems with 0.1 to 3 meter resolution. The
estimated total cost was $63 million. MDE constituted $36 million of
this total.
On December 17, 2009, Congress was notified by Congressional
certification transmittal number 0C-09 of the possible sale, under
Section 36(b)(5)(a) of the Arms Export Control Act, of a performance
upgrade of the AN/DPY-1 SAR/GMTI systems aboard the four MQ-9s UAVs
previously notified on transmittal 08-60 from 0.3 to 3 meter resolution
to the same 0.1 to 3 meter resolution of the two MQ-9s notified on
transmittal 09-60. There was no increase in cost of MDE for this
upgrade.
This transmittal reports the addition of Major Defense Equipment
items beyond what was originally notified to include:
1. Retrofit of five (5) existing MQ-9A Block 1 Unmanned Aerial
Vehicles (UAV) to Block 5;
2. Retrofit of two (2) existing MGCS Block 30;
3. Addition of three (3) MQ-9A Block 5;
4. Addition of eight (8) Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems (MTS-B)
AN/DAS-1A;
5. Addition of eight (8) General Atomics AN/APY-8 Lynx (exportable)
Synthetic Aperture Radar/Ground Moving Target Indicator (SAR/GMTI)
Systems, with Maritime Wide Area Search (MWAS) capability;
6. Addition of two (2) Mobile Ground Control Station (MGCS) Block
30, and;
7. Addition of twenty-seven (27) Honeywell H-764 Adaptive
Configurable Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Guidance Units
(EGI) with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) (24
installed, 3 spares).
The retrofit, addition of aircraft, and inclusion of the above
listed MDE not enumerated in the previous notifications will result in
a net increase in MDE costs of $180 million and non-MDE cost of $138
million. These notifications represent the entirety of Italy's MQ-9
program, which will now increase in value from $393 million to $711
million.
(iv) Significance: As Italy continues with its plans to develop a
robust MQ-9A fleet, it has requested additional aircraft. Enhancement
of Italy's MQ-9A aircraft will provide strike capability to augment
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability. The
proposed sale increases Italy's capability to participate in Europe and
NATO security operations and supports the foreign and national security
policies of the US by enhancing the ISR and strike capability of a
major ally.
(v) Justification: Italy is a major political and economic power in
NATO and a key democratic partner of the United States in ensuring
peace and stability around the world. Italy requests these capabilities
to provide for the defense of deployed troops, regional security, and
interoperability with the United States.
(vi) Sensitivity of Technology:
1. The MQ-9A Block 5 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) is UNCLASSIFIED.
The highest level of classified information required for training,
operation, and maintenance is SECRET. The MQ-9A Block 5 is a Medium
Altitude, long-endurance (MALE) remotely piloted aircraft that can be
used for surveillance, military reconnaissance, and targeting missions.
Real-time missions are flown under the control of a pilot in a Ground
Control Station (GCS). A datalink is maintained that uplinks control
commands and downlinks video with telemetry data. Line-of-Sight (LOS)
communications is enabled through C-Band datalink and Beyond-Line-of-
Sight (BLOS) communications is enabled through Ku-Band Satellite
Communication (SATCOM). Control of the aircraft and payload are done
through direct manual inputs by the crew or through preprogrammed
mission. Preprogrammed missions are planned and uploaded by the pilots
via the GCS and are executed through the control of an onboard suite of
redundant computers and sensors. Payload imagery and data are
downlinked to the GCS. The pilot may initiate pre-programmed missions
once the aircraft is airborne and lands the aircraft when the mission
is completed. Pilots can change preprogrammed mission parameters as
often as required. When operated BLOS, aircraft control is given to
other strategically placed Ground Control Stations--permitting remote
split operations (RSO). The MQ-9A Block 5 is designed to carry 850
pounds of internal payload with maximum fuel and can carry multiple
mission payloads aloft. The MQ-9A Block 5 will be configured for the
following payloads: Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR), Synthetic
Aperture Radar (SAR), Electronic Support Measures (ESM), Signals
Intelligence (SIGINT), laser designators, and various weapons packages.
The MQ-9A Block 5 systems will include the following components:
a. The Ground Control Station (GCS) can be either fixed or mobile.
The fixed GCS is enclosed in a customer-specified shelter. It
incorporates workstations that allow operators to control and monitor
the aircraft, as well as record and exploit downlinked payload data.
The mobile GCS allows operators to perform the same functions and is
contained on a mobile trailer. Workstations in either GCS can be
tailored to meet customer requirements. The GCS, technical data, and
documents are UNCLASSIFIED.
b. The Raytheon Multi-Spectral Targeting System-B (MTS-B)
integrates electro-optical (EO), infrared (IR), laser designation and
laser illumination capabilities to provide detection, ranging, and
tracking capabilities specifically for high-altitude applications. This
advanced EO and IR system provides long-range surveillance, high
altitude target acquisition, tracking, range finding, and laser
designation for the Hellfire missile and for all tri-service and NATO
laser-guided munitions.
c. The AN/APY-8 Lynx Block 20 Synthetic Aperture Radar and Ground
Moving Target Radar system provides all-weather surveillance, tracking
and targeting for military and commercial customers from manned and
unmanned vehicles. The AN/PY-8 Lynx Block 20SAR/GMTI radar system and
technical data/documents are UNCLASSIFIED.
d. The Honeywell H-764 Adaptive Configurable Embedded Global
Positioning System/Inertial Guidance Unit (EGI) contains the Force 524D
GPS Receiver card with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module
(SAASM). The Force 524D is a 24-channel SAASM based GPS receiver with
precise positioning service capability built upon Trimble's next
generation GPS technology. The Force 524D retains backward
compatibility with the proven Force 5GS while adding new functionality
to interface with the digital antenna electronics to significantly
improve anti-jam performance. The host platform can select the radio
frequency of digital antenna electronics interface. In the digital
mode, the Force 524D is capable of controlling up to 16 independent
beams.
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(vii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: December 4, 2019
[FR Doc. 2019-28189 Filed 12-30-19; 8:45 am]
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