September 10, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 144 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page S5387]
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. 19-28 
     concerning the Navy's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and 
     Acceptance to the Republic of Korea for defense articles and 
     services estimated to cost $72 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. 19-28

     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: Republic of Korea.
       (ii) Total Estimated Value:
       Major Defense Equipment * $37 million.
       Other $35 million.
       Total $72 million.
       (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
     Services under Consideration for Purchase:
       Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
       Up to thirty-one(31) MK 54 All Up Round Lightweight 
     Torpedoes.
       Non-MDE: Also included are torpedo containers, Recoverable 
     Exercise Torpedoes (REXTORP) with containers, Fleet Exercise 
     Section (FES) and fuel tanks, air launch accessories for 
     fixed wing, torpedo spare parts, training, publications, 
     support and test equipment, U.S. Government and contractor 
     engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and 
     other related elements of logistics and program support.
       (iv) Military Department: Navy (KS-P-AMP).
       (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: August 27, 2019.
       * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control 
     Act.


                          policy justification

                   Korea--MK 54 Lightweight Torpedoes

       The Republic of Korea (ROK) has requested to buy thirty-one 
     (31) MK 54 All Up Round lightweight torpedoes. Also included 
     are torpedo containers, Recoverable Exercise Torpedoes 
     (REXTORP) with containers, Fleet Exercise Section (FES) and 
     fuel tanks, air launch accessories for fixed wing, torpedo 
     spare parts, training, publications, support and test 
     equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, 
     technical, and logistics support services, and other related 
     elements of logistics and program support. The total 
     estimated program cost is $72 million.
       This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and 
     national security objectives of the United States by meeting 
     the legitimate security and defense needs of one of the 
     closest allies in the INDOPACOM Theater. The Republic of 
     Korea is one of the major political and economic powers in 
     East Asia and the Western Pacific and a key partner of the 
     United States in ensuring peace and stability in that region. 
     It is vital to U.S. national interests to assist the Republic 
     of Korea in developing and maintaining a strong and ready 
     self-defense capability.
       The Republic of Korea Navy intends to utilize MK 54 
     Lightweight Torpedoes on its P-8A aircraft. The ROK 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 Raytheon Integrated 
     Defense System, Portsmouth, Rhode Island. There are no known 
     offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential 
     sale. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations 
     between the Purchaser and the prime contractor.
       Implementation of the proposed sale will not require the 
     assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor 
     representatives to the ROK. However, U.S. Government 
     Engineering and Technical Services may be required on an 
     interim basis for training and technical assistance
       There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness 
     as a result of this proposed sale.


                         Transmittal No. 19-28

     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 MK 54 Torpedo is a conventional torpedo that can be 
     launched from surface ships and rotary and fixed wing 
     aircraft. The MK 54 is an upgrade to the MK 46 Torpedo. The 
     upgrade to the MK 54 entails replacement of the torpedo's 
     sonar and guidance and control systems with more modern 
     technology. The new guidance and control system uses a 
     mixture of commercial-off-the-shelf and custom-built 
     electronics. The warhead, fuel tank and propulsion system 
     from the MK 46 torpedo are re-used in the MK 54 configuration 
     with minor modifications. The assembled MK 54 torpedo and 
     several of its individual components are classified 
     CONFIDENTIAL. The MK 54 operational software is classified as 
     SECRET. The Republic of Korea has not requested nor will it 
     be provided with the source code for the MK 54 operational 
     software.
       2. 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.
       3. A determination has been made that the recipient 
     government 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.
       4. All defense articles and services listed in this 
     transmittal have been authorized for release and export to 
     the Republic of Korea.

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