May 11, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 88 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 88
(Senate - May 11, 2020)
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[Pages S2340-S2341] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION Mr. RISCH. Mr. 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 [[Page S2341]] 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 or Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 19-68 concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and Acceptance to the Government of the United Arab Emirates for defense articles and services estimated to cost $556 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, Charles W. Hooper, Lieutenant General, USA, Director. Enclosures: Transmittal No. 19-68 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: Government of the United Arab Emirates. (ii) Total Estimated Value: Major Defense Equipment* $0 million. Other $556 million. Total $556 million. (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or Services under Consideration for Purchase: Major Defense Equipment (MDE): None. Non-MDE: Four thousand five hundred sixty-nine (4,569) Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles consisting of a mix of MaxxPro Long Wheel Base (LWB), MaxxPro Recovery Vehicle (MRV), MaxxPro LWB chassis, MaxxPro Dash, MaxxPro Bases Capsule, MaxxPro MEAP Capsules, MaxxPro Plus, Caiman Multi-Terrain Vehicles without armor, Caiman Base, Caiman Plus, Caiman Capsule, and MRAP All-Terrain Vehicles (MATV), logistics support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support. (iv) Military Department: Army. (v) Prior Related Cases. if any: AE-B-IBA and AE-B-ZVA. (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: May 7, 2020. * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act. POLICY JUSTIFICATION United Arab Emirates (UAE)--Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles The Government of the United Arab Emirates has requested the sale of Excess Defense Articles (EDA) of up to four thousand five hundred sixty-nine (4,569) MRAP vehicles consisting of a mix of MaxxPro Long Wheel Base (L WB), MaxxPro Recovery Vehicle (MRV), MaxxPro L WB chassis, MaxxPro Dash, MaxxPro Bases Capsule, MaxxPro MEAP Capsules, MaxxPro Plus, Caiman Multi-Terrain Vehicles without armor, Caiman Base, Caiman Plus, Caiman Capsule, and MRAP All-Terrain Vehicles (MATV), logistics support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support. The estimated total program cost is $556 million. The proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives 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. This sale is consistent with U.S. initiatives to provide key allies in the region with modern systems that will enhance interoperability with U.S. forces and increase security. The UAE intends to utilize the MRAP vehicles to increase force protection, to conduct humanitarian assistance operations, and to protect critical infrastructure. Additionally, these MRAPs will enhance the UAE's burden sharing capacity and defensive capabilities. The UAE will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and support into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not affect the basic military balance in the region. These vehicles will be coming from U.S. Army stocks as EDA; the required EDA Congressional Notifications were made August 6, 2014. There are no known offset agreements proposed in conjunction with this proposed sale. Implementation of this sale will not require the assignment of U.S. Government or contractor representatives to the UAE. There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. Transmittal No. 19-68 Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to Section 36(b)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act Annex Item No. vii (vii) Sensitivity of Technology: 1. The Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle is an armored, multipurpose combat vehicle intended to support mounted urban operations to include convoy security support and dismounted patrols. It is designed to increase crew survivability. The vehicle has a blast-resistant underbody designed to protect the crew from mine blasts, fragmentation, and direct fire weapons. 2. All MRAP vehicle information needed to operate, train, and maintain the vehicles are UNCLASSIFIED. Some design and test data, design performance parameters, armoring methodology, vulnerabilities, armor types, and configuration can be classified up to SECRET. 3. Loss of this hardware, software, documentation, and/or data could permit development of information which may lead to a significant threat to future U.S. military operations. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain knowledge of the specific hardware and software elements, the information could be used to develop countermeasures or equivalent systems which 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 UAE can provide substantially the same degree of protection for this technology as the U.S. Government. This proposed sale is necessary in furtherance of the U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives outlined in the Policy Justification. 5. All of the defense articles and services listed in this transmittal have been authorized for release and export to the UAE. ____________________
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