[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 19, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S60-S61]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Mr. RISCH. Madam President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control
Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain
proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification,
the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be
reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the
notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant
information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to
have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received.
If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is
available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations
Committee, room SD-423.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record as follows:
Defense Security
Cooperation Agency,
Arlington, VA.
Hon. James E. Risch,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Pursuant to the reporting requirements
of Section 36(b)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 20-13
concerning the Air Force's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for defense
articles and services estimated to cost $290 million. After
this letter is delivered to your office, we plan to issue a
news release to notify the public of this proposed sale.
Sincerely,
Heidi H. Grant,
Director.
Enclosures.
transmittal no. 20-13
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 Saudi Arabia.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense-Equipment * $250 million.
Other $40 million.
Total $290 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Three thousand (3,000) GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb I (SDB
I).
Non-MDE: Also included are containers; weapon support and
support equipment; spare and repair parts; U.S. Government
and contractor engineering, technical and logistical support
services; and other related elements of logistical and
program support.
(iv) Military Department: Air Force (SR-D-YAE).
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: SR-D-YBD.
(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: December 28,
2020.
*As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Saudi Arabia-GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb I (SDB I) Munitions
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has requested to buy three
thousand (3,000) GBU-39 SDB I munitions. Also included are
containers; weapon support and support equipment; spare and
repair parts; U.S. Government and contractor engineering,
technical and logistical support services; and other related
elements of logistical and program support. The total
estimated program cost will be $290 million.
This proposed sale will support U.S. foreign policy and
national security objectives by helping to improve the
security of a friendly country that continues to be an
important force for political stability and economic growth
in the Middle East.
The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia's capability to
meet current and future threats by increasing its stocks of
long-range, precision air-to-ground munitions. The size and
accuracy of the SDB I allows for an effective munition with
less collateral damage. The potential sale will further
strengthen the interoperability between the United States and
Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia 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 will be Boeing, St. Louis, MO.
There are no known offset agreements in connection with this
potential sale; however the purchaser typically requests
offsets. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations
between the purchaser and the contractor.
Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the
assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor
representatives to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 20-13
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 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb Increment I (SDB I) is
a 250-pound class weapon designed as a small, all weather,
autonomous, conventional, air-to-ground, precision glide
weapon able to strike fixed and stationary re-locatable
targets from standoff range. The SDB I weapon system consists
of the weapons, the BRU-6l/A (4-place pneumatic carriage
system), shipping and handling containers for a single weapon
and the BRU-61/A either empty or loaded, and weapon planning
module. It has integrated diamond-back type wings that deploy
after release, which increases the glide time and therefore
maximum range. The SDB I Anti-Jam Global Positioning System
aided Inertial Navigation System (AJGPS/INS) provides
guidance to the coordinates of a stationary target. The
payload/warhead is a very effective multipurpose penetrating
and blast fragmentation warhead couples with a cockpit
selectable-electronic fuze. Its size and accuracy allow for a
effective munition with less collateral damage. A proximity
sensor provides height of burst capability.
2. The highest lever of classification of information
included in this potential sale is SECRET.
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 the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia 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.
5. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal are authorized for release and export to the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
____
Defense Security
Cooperation Agency,
Arlington, VA.
Hon James E. Risch,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Pursuant to the reporting requirements
of Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 20-65
concerning the Air Force's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Egypt for defense articles
and services estimated to cost $65.6 million. After this
Letter is delivered to your office, we plan to issue a news
release to notify the public of this proposed sale.
Sincerely,
Heidi H. Grant,
Director.
Enclosures.
Transmittal No. 20-65
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 Egypt.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $56.8 million.
Other $8.8 million.
Total $65.6 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Twenty (20) AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods
(ATPs).
Non-MDE: Also included are pylons; shipping containers;
spare and repair/return parts; ground handling equipment;
publications and technical documentation; software and
software support; personnel training; U.S. Government and
contractor engineering, technical, and logistical support
services; and other related elements of program and
logistical support.
(iv) Military Department: Air Force (EG-D-QFP).
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: EG-D-SAB.
(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: December 28,
2020.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
[[Page S61]]
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Egypt--Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATPs)
The Government of Egypt has requested to buy twenty (20)
AN/AAQ-33 Sniper ATPs. Also included are pylons; shipping
containers; spare and repair/return parts; ground handling
equipment; publications and technical documentation; software
and software support; personnel training; U.S. Government and
contractor engineering, technical, and logistical support
services; and other related elements of program and
logistical support. The estimated total program costs is
$65.6 million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security of the United States by helping to improve
the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally country that continues
to be an important strategic partner in the Middle East.
The proposed sale will improve Egypt's capability and
effectiveness to meet current and future threats by providing
additional precision targeting capability to conduct border
security and counterterrorism operations. The added precision
strike capability will better enable Egypt to conduct
operations while minimizing collateral damage. Egypt will
have no difficultly absorbing the additional 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 will be Lockheed Martin
Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, TX. 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 additional U.S. Government or contractor
representatives to Egypt.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
TRANSMITTAL NO. 20-65
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 AN/AAQ-33 SNIPER Pod is a multi-sensor, elector-
optical targeting pod incorporating infrared, low-light
television camera, laser range finder/target designator, and
laser spot tracker. It is used to provide navigation and
targeting for military aircraft in adverse weather and using
precision-guided weapons such as laser-guided bombs. It also
provides positive target identification, autonomous tracking,
coordinate generation, and precise weapons guidance from
extended standoff ranges. It offers much greater target
resolution and imagery accuracy than previous systems.
2. The highest level of classification of information
included in this potential sale is SECRET.
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 Government of Egypt
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.
5. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal have been authorized for release and export to
the Government of Egypt.
____________________