July 30, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 129 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages S5190-S5191]
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)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as 
     amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 19-33 
     concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Government of Thailand for defense articles 
     and services estimated to cost $175 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,
                                               Gregory M. Kausner,
       (for Charles W. Hooper, Lieutenant General, USA, Director).
       Enclosures.


                         Transmittal No. 19-33

     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 * $125 million.
       Other $50 million.
       Total $175 million.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       Sixty (60) Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicles (ICV).
       Sixty (60) M2 Flex .50 Cal Machine Guns.
       Non-MDE: Also included are spare parts, Basic Issue Items 
     (BII), Components of End Items (COEI), Additional Authorized 
     List (AAL), Special Tools and Test Equipment (STTE), 
     technical manuals, OCONUS Deprocessing Service, M6 smoke 
     grenade launchers (4 per vehicle) and associated spares, AN/
     VAS-5 Driver's Vision Enhancer (DVE), AN/VIC-3 vehicle 
     intercommunications system, contractor provided training and 
     Field Service Representatives (FSR), and other related 
     elements of logistics and program support.
       (iv) Military Department: Army (TH-B-WGX).
       (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: July 26, 2019.
       * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          POLICY JUSTIFICATION

              Thailand--Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicles

       The Government of Thailand has requested to buy sixty (60) 
     Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicles (ICV); and sixty (60) M2 
     Flex .50 cal machine guns. Also included are spare parts, 
     Basic Issue Items (BII), Components of End Items (COEI), 
     Additional Authorized List (AAL) (specific items for 
     operations and maintenance), Special Tools and Test Equipment 
     (STTE), technical manuals, OCONUS Deprocessing Service, M6 
     smoke grenade launchers (4 per vehicle) and associated 
     spares, AN/VAS-5 Driver's Vision Enhancer (DVE), AN/VIC-3 
     vehicle intercommunications system, contractor provided 
     training and Field Service Representatives (FSR), and other 
     related elements of logistics and program support. The total 
     estimated program cost is $175 million.
       This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and 
     national security objectives of the United States by helping 
     to improve security of a Major Non-NATO ally in INDO-PACOM 
     which is an important force for political stability and 
     economic progress in the region.
       The Stryker vehicles will increase Thailand's capability to 
     defend its sovereign territory against traditional and non-
     traditional threats by filling the capability void between 
     light infantry soldiers and heavy mechanized 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 Stryker vehicle is General 
     Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, MI. 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. 19-33

     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 M1126 Stryker is an infantry carrier vehicle 
     transporting nine soldiers, their mission equipment and a 
     crew of two consisting of a driver and vehicle commander. It 
     is equipped with armor protection, M2 machine guns and M6 
     Smoke Grenade Launchers for self-protection. The Stryker is 
     an eight-wheeled vehicle powered by a 350hp diesel engine. It 
     incorporates a central tire inflation system, run-flat tires, 
     and a vehicle height management system. The Stryker is 
     capable of supporting a communications suite, a Global 
     Positioning System (GPS), and a high

[[Page S5191]]

     frequency and near-term digital radio systems. The Stryker is 
     deployable by C-130 aircraft and combat capable upon arrival. 
     The Stryker is capable of self-deployment by highway and 
     self-recovery. It has a low noise level that reduces crew 
     fatigue and enhances survivability. It moves about the 
     battlefield quickly and is optimized for close, complex, or 
     urban terrain. The Stryker program leverages nondevelopmental 
     items with common subsystems and components to quickly 
     acquire and field these systems. Stryker is UNCLASSIFIED.
       2. The AN/VAS-5 Driver's Vision Enhancer (DVE) is a compact 
     thermal camera providing armored vehicle drivers with day or 
     night time visual awareness in clear or reduced vision (fog, 
     smoke, dust) situation. The system provides the driver a 180 
     degree viewing angle using a high resolution infrared sensor 
     and image stabilization to reduce the effect of shock and 
     vibration. The viewer and monitor are ruggedized for 
     operation in tactical environments. The system is 
     UNCLASSIFIED but considered SENSITIVE technology.
       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.

                          ____________________