[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 230 (Tuesday, December 1, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75068-75070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30470]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
[Transmittal No. 15-76]
36(b)(1) Arms Sales Notification
AGENCY: Department of Defense, Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text
of a section 36(b)(1) arms sales notification. This is published to
fulfill the requirements of section 155 of Public Law 104-164 dated
July 21, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah A. Ragan or Heather N. Harwell,
DSCA/LMO, (703) 604-1546/(703) 607-5339.
The following is a copy of a letter to the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Transmittal 15-76 with attached Policy Justification
and Sensitivity of Technology.
Dated: November 25, 2015.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
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Transmittal No. 15-76
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to Section
36(b)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended
(i) Prospective Purchaser: United Kingdom.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment *............... $80 million
Other................................... $ 0 million
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TOTAL................................. $80 million
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE): Five hundred (500) AGM-114R Hellfire
II Semi-Active Laser (SAL) Missiles.
(iv) Military Department: Air Force (YAY), Amendment 4.
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any:
FMS Case UK-B-WKG--$113,000--Apr 1998
FMS Case UK-B-WKI--$21M--Sep 2007
FMS Case UK-D-YAC--$22M--May 2008
FMS Case UK-D-YAF--$21M--Mar 2011
FMS Case UK-D-YAY--$67M--Aug 2013
(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.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act
(viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: 9 NOV 2015.
[[Page 75070]]
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
United Kingdom--Hellfire Missiles
The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) requested a possible sale
of five hundred (500) AGM-114R Hellfire II Semi-Active Laser (SAL)
Missiles. The estimated cost is $80 million.
This sale directly contributes to the foreign and national security
policies of the United States by enhancing the close air support
capability of the UK in support of NATO and other coalition operations.
Commonality between close air support capabilities greatly increases
interoperability between our two countries' military and peacekeeping
forces and allows for greater burden sharing.
The proposed sale improves the UK's ability to meet current and
future threats by providing close air support to counter enemy attacks
on coalition ground forces in U.S. CENTCOM's area of responsibility.
The UK currently has Hellfire missiles in its inventory and will have
no difficulty absorbing these additional missiles.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the
basic military balance in the region.
There is no principal contractor for this sale as the missiles are
coming from U.S. Army stock. 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 the UK.
There will be no adverse impact on United States defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale. All defense articles and services
are approved for release by our foreign disclosure office.
Transmittal No. 15-76
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to Section
36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act
Annex--Item No. vii
(viii) Sensitivity of Technology:
1. AGM-114R Hellfire. The AGM-114R Hellfire II Semi-Active Laser
(SAL) Missiles are rail-launched guided missiles developed and produced
by Lockheed Martin. The weapon system hardware, as an ``All Up Round,''
is UNCLASSIFIED. The highest level of classified information to be
disclosed regarding the AGM-114R Hellfire II missile software is
SECRET. The highest level of classified information that could be
disclosed by a proposed sale or by testing of the end item is SECRET
and the highest level that must be disclosed for production,
maintenance, or training is CONFIDENTIAL. Software sensitivity is
primarily in the programs that instruct the system on how to operate in
the presence of countermeasures.
2. If a technologically advanced adversary obtained knowledge of
the specific 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.
3. A determination has been made that the UK can provide
substantially the same degree of protection for the AGM-114R Hellfire
II missiles as the United States Government. Transfer of these missiles
to the UK is necessary in the furtherance of United States foreign
policy and national security objectives.
4. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal are
authorized for release and export to the Government of the United
Kingdom.
[FR Doc. 2015-30470 Filed 11-30-15; 8:45 am]
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