[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 23, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83914-83917]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28321]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal No. 21-01]


Arms Sales Notification

AGENCY: Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Department of Defense 
(DoD).

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 21-01 with 
attached Policy Justification and Sensitivity of Technology.

    Dated: December 17, 2020.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN23DE20.002

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Transmittal No. 21-01
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 the United Arab Emirates 
(UAE)
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment *................  $5.8 billion
Other....................................  $4.6 billion
                                          ------------------------------
  Total..................................  $10.4 billion
 

    (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
    Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Fifty (50) F-35A Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take-Off and Landing 
(CTOL) Aircraft
Fifty-four (54) Pratt & Whitney F-135 Engines (up to 50 installed and 4 
spares)
    Non-MDE: Also included are Electronic Warfare Systems; Command, 
Control, Communications, Computer and Intelligence/Communications, 
Navigational, and Identification (C4I/CNI); Autonomic Logistics Global 
Support System (ALGS); Operational Data Integrated Network (ODIN); Air

[[Page 83916]]

System Training Devices; Weapons Employment Capability and other 
Subsystems, Features, and Capabilities; F-35 unique chaff and infrared 
flares; reprogramming center access; F-35 Performance Based Logistics; 
software development/integration; aircraft ferry and tanker support; 
aircraft and munitions support and test equipment; communications 
equipment; provisioning, spares and repair parts; weapons repair and 
return support; personnel training and training equipment; weapon 
systems software, publications and technical documents; U.S. Government 
and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; 
and other related elements of logistical and program support.
    (iv) Military Department: Air Force (AE-D-SAC)
    (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 Attached Annex
    (viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: November 09, 2020
    * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

Policy Justification

United Arab Emirates--F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

    The Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has requested to 
buy up to fifty (50) F-35A Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take-Off 
and Landing (CTOL) aircraft and fifty-four (54) Pratt & Whitney F-135 
Engines (up to 50 installed and 4 spares). Also included are Electronic 
Warfare Systems; Command, Control, Communications, Computer and 
Intelligence/Communications, Navigational, and Identification (C4I/
CNI); Autonomic Logistics Global Support System (ALGS); Operational 
Data Integrated Network (ODIN); Air System Training Devices; Weapons 
Employment Capability and other Subsystems, Features, and Capabilities; 
F-35 unique chaff and infrared flares; reprogramming center access; F-
35 Performance Based Logistics; software development/integration; 
aircraft ferry and tanker support; aircraft and munitions support and 
test equipment; communications equipment; provisioning, spares and 
repair parts; weapons repair and return support; personnel training and 
training equipment; weapon systems software, publications and technical 
documents; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and 
logistics support services; and other related elements of logistical 
and program support. The total estimated cost is $10.4 billion.
    This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national 
security of the United States by helping to improve the security of an 
important regional partner. The UAE has been, and continues to be, a 
vital U.S. partner for political stability and economic progress in the 
Middle East.
    The proposed sale of F-35s will provide the Government of the UAE 
with a credible defense capability to deter aggression in the region 
and ensure interoperability with U.S. forces. The UAE has demonstrated 
a commitment to modernizing its military and will have no difficulty 
absorbing these aircraft into their armed forces.
    The proposed sale of this equipment and support represents a 
significant increase in capability and will alter the regional military 
balance.
    The prime contractors will be Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, 
Fort Worth, TX; and Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, 
CT. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with 
this potential sale. However, the purchaser typically requests offsets. 
Any offset agreements will be defined in negotiations between the 
purchaser and the contractor(s).
    Implementation of this proposed sale may require the assignment of 
U.S. Government or contractor representatives to the UAE. 
Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips to the 
UAE involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives for 
technical reviews/support, program management, and training over the 
life of the program. U.S. contractor representatives will be required 
in the UAE to conduct Contractor Engineering Technical Services (CETS) 
and Autonomic Logistics and Global Support (ALGS) for after-aircraft 
delivery.
    There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a 
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 21-01
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 F-35A Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) aircraft is a 
single-seat, single engine, all-weather, stealth, fifth-generation, 
multirole aircraft. The F-35A contain sensitive technology, including 
the low observable airframe/outer mold line, the Pratt & Whitney F135 
engine, AN/APG-81 radar, an integrated core processor central computer, 
a mission systems/electronic warfare suite, a multiple sensor suite, 
technical data/documentation, and associated software. Sensitive 
elements of the F-35A are also included in operational flight and 
maintenance trainers. Sensitive elements of the F-35A CTOL aircraft 
include hardware, accessories, components, and associated software for 
the following major subsystems:
    a. The Pratt and Whitney F135 engine is a single 40,000-pound 
thrust class engine designed for the F-35 and assures highly reliable, 
affordable performance. The engine is designed to be utilized in all F-
35 variants, providing unmatched commonality and supportability 
throughout the worldwide base of F-35 users.
    b. The AN/APG-81 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) is a 
high processing power/high transmission power electronic array capable 
of detecting air and ground targets from a greater distance than 
mechanically scanned array radars. It also contains a synthetic 
aperture radar (SAR), which creates high-resolution ground maps and 
provides weather data to the pilot, and provides air and ground tracks 
to the mission system, which uses it as a component to fuse sensor 
data.
    c. The Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) provides long-range 
detection and tracking, as well as an infrared search and track (IRST) 
and forward-looking infrared (FLIR) capability for precision tracking, 
weapons delivery, and bomb damage assessment (BDA). The EOTS replaces 
multiple separate internal or podded systems typically found on legacy 
aircraft.
    d. The Electro-Optical Distributed Aperture System (EODAS) provides 
the pilot with full spherical coverage for air-to-air and air-to-ground 
threat awareness, day/night vision enhancements, a fire control 
capability, and precision tracking of wingmen/friendly aircraft. The 
EODAS provides data directly to the pilot's helmet as well as the 
mission system.
    e. The Electronic Warfare (EW) system is a reprogrammable, 
integrated system that provides radar warning and electronic support 
measures (ESM), along with a fully integrated countermeasures (CM) 
system. The EW system is the primary subsystem used to enhance 
situational awareness, targeting support and self-defense through the 
search, intercept, location and identification of in-band emitters and 
to

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automatically counter infrared (IR) and radio frequency (RF) threats.
    f. The Command, Control, Communications, Computers and 
Intelligence/Communications, Navigation, and Identification (C4I/CNI) 
system provides the pilot with unmatched connectivity to flight 
members, coalition forces, and the battlefield. It is an integrated 
subsystem designed to provide a broad spectrum of secure, anti-jam 
voice and data communications, precision radio navigation and landing 
capability, self-identification, beyond visual range target 
identification, and connectivity to off-board sources of information. 
It also includes an inertial navigation and global positioning system 
(GPS) for precise location information. The functionality is tightly 
integrated within the mission system to enhance efficiency.
    g. The aircraft C4I/CNI system includes two data links, the Multi-
Function Advanced Data Link (MADL) and Link 16. The MADL is designed 
specifically for the F-35 and allows for stealthy communications 
between F-35s. Link 16 data link equipment allows the F-35 to 
communicate with legacy aircraft using widely-distributed J-series 
message protocols.
    h. The F-35 Autonomic Logistics Global Sustainment (ALGS) provides 
a fully integrated logistics management solution. ALGS integrates a 
number of functional areas, including supply chain management, repair, 
support equipment, engine support, and training. The ALGS 
infrastructure employs a state-of-the-art information system that 
provides real-time, decision-worthy information for sustainment 
decisions by flight line personnel. Prognostic health monitoring 
technology is integrated with the air system and is crucial to 
predictive maintenance of vital components.
    i. The F-35 Operational Data Integrated Network (ODIN) provides an 
intelligent information infrastructure that binds all the key concepts 
of ALGS into an effective support system. ODIN establishes the 
appropriate interfaces among the F-35 Air Vehicle, the warfighter, the 
training system, government information technology (IT) systems, and 
supporting commercial enterprise systems. Additionally, ODIN provides a 
comprehensive tool for data collection and analysis, decision support 
and action tracking.
    j. The F-35 Training System includes several training devices to 
provide integrated training for pilots and maintainers. The pilot 
training devices include a Full Mission Simulator (FMS) and Mission 
Rehearsal Trainer (MRT). The maintainer training devices include an 
Aircraft Systems Maintenance Trainer (ASMT), Ejection System 
Maintenance Trainer (ESMT), Outer Mold Line (OML) Lab, Flexible Linear 
Shaped Charge (FLSC) Trainer, F135 Engine Module Trainer, Weapons 
Loading Trainer (WLT), and other training devices. The F-35 Training 
System can be integrated, where both pilots and maintainers learn in 
the same Integrated Training Center (ITC).
    k. Other subsystems, features, and capabilities include the F-35's 
low observable air frame, Integrated Core Processor (ICP) Central 
Computer, Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS), Pilot Life Support 
System (PLSS), Mission Planning System Environment (MPSE), and 
publications/maintenance manuals. The HMDS provides a fully sunlight 
readable, bi-ocular display presentation of aircraft information 
projected onto the pilot's helmet visor. The use of a night vision 
camera integrated into the helmet eliminates the need for separate 
Night Vision Goggles. The PLSS provides a measure of Pilot Chemical, 
Biological, and Radiological Protection through use of an OnBoard 
Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS) and an escape system that provides 
additional protection to the pilot. OBOGS takes the Power and Thermal 
Management System (PTMS) air and enriches it by removing gases (mainly 
nitrogen) by adsorption, thereby increasing the concentration of oxygen 
in the product gas and supplying breathable air to the pilot. The MPSE 
provides a mission planning, mission briefing, and a maintenance/
intelligence/tactical debriefing platform for the F-35.
    2. The Reprogramming Center is located in the United States and 
provides F-35 customers a means to update F-35 electronic warfare 
databases.
    3. The highest level of classification of defense articles, 
components, and services included in this potential sale is SECRET.
    4. 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.
    5. A determination has been made that the United Arab Emirates 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.
    6. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal are 
authorized for release and export to the Government of the United Arab 
Emirates.

[FR Doc. 2020-28321 Filed 12-22-20; 8:45 am]
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