83 FR 55861 - Arms Sales Notification

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 217 (November 8, 2018)

The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text of an arms sales notification.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 217 (Thursday, November 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55861-55863]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-24403]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal No. 18-22]


Arms Sales Notification

AGENCY: Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Department of Defense.

ACTION: Arms sales notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text 
of an arms sales notification.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: DSCA at dsca.ncr.lmo.mbx.info@mail.mil">dsca.ncr.lmo.mbx.info@mail.mil 
or (703) 697-9709.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 36(b)(1) arms sales notification is 
published to fulfill the requirements of section 155 of Public Law 104-
164 dated July 21, 1996. The following is a copy of a letter to the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Transmittal 18-22 with 
attached Policy Justification and Sensitivity of Technology.

    Dated: November 2, 2018.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.

[[Page 55862]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN08NO18.004

Transmittal No. 18-22
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 Bahrain
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment *...............................    $295 million
Other...................................................     $ 5 million
                                                         ---------------
  Total.................................................    $300 million
 

    (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
    Major Defense Equipment (MDE):

One hundred twenty (120) Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) 
M31 Unitary Rocket Pods (Six (6) rockets per pod for a total of seven 
hundred twenty (720)
One hundred ten (110) Army Tactical Missiles System (ATACMS) M57 T2K 
Unitary Missiles
    Non-MDE: Also included are publications, personnel training and 
training equipment, software development, U.S. Government and 
contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services; and 
other related elements of logistical and program support.

[[Page 55863]]

    (iv) Military Department: Army (BA-B-UKF)
    (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: BA-B-UIW (GMLRS); BA-B-UJK 
(ATACMS)
    (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: September 28, 2018
    * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

Bahrain--M31 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) Unitary and 
Army Tactical Mission System (ATACMS) T2K Unitary Missile

    The Kingdom of Bahrain has requested to buy one hundred twenty 
(120) Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) M31 Unitary Rocket 
Pods (six (6) rockets per pod for a total of seven hundred twenty 
(720); and one hundred ten (110) Army Tactical Missiles System (ATACMS) 
M57 T2K Unitary missiles. Also included are publications, personnel 
training and training equipment, software development, U.S. Government 
and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services; 
and other related elements of logistical and program support. The 
overall total estimated value is $300 million.
    This proposed sale will enhance the foreign policy and national 
security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the 
security of a Major Non-NATO Ally that has been, and continues to be an 
important force for political stability and economic progress in the 
Middle East. The proposed sale of the M31 GMLRS Unitary Rocket Pods and 
ATACMS T2K Unitary Missile will improve Bahrain's capability to meet 
current and future threats and provide greater security for its 
critical oil and natural gas infrastructure, and significant national 
events. Bahrain will use the enhanced capabilities to strengthen its 
homeland defense and deter regional threats. Bahrain will have no 
difficulty absorbing these rocket pods into its armed forces.
    The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the 
basic military balance in the region.
    The prime contractor will be Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire 
Control in Grand Prairie, 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. or contractor representatives in 
Bahrain.
    There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a 
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 18-22
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 GMLRS M31 Unitary is the Army's primary munition for units 
fielding the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 
Multiple Launcher Rocket Systems (MLRS) M270A1 Rocket and Missile 
Launcher platforms. The M31 Unitary is a solid propellant artillery 
rocket that uses Global Positioning System (GPS)-aided inertial 
guidance to accurately and quickly deliver a single high-explosive 
blast fragmentation warhead onto point targets at ranges from 15-70 
kilometers. The rockets are fired from a launch pod container that also 
serves as the storage and transportation container for the rockets. 
Each rocket pod holds six (6) total rockets.
    2. The GMLRS Unitary employs a multi-mode fuze consisting of an 
Electronic Safe and Arm Fuze (ESAF) and a Frequency-Modulating 
Continuous Wave--Directional Doppler Ranging (FMCW-DDR) height of burst 
sensor. The weapon has three fuzing modes--point detonating, post-
impact time delay, and proximity height of burst--which are all 
accomplished automatically via a launcher/fire control system 
electrical interface prior to launch. The height of burst sensor is not 
integrated with the fuze, but provides fire pulse input and interfaces 
with a mechanical fuze.
    3. GMLRS hardware and operational software are UNCLASSIFIED. System 
performance characteristics are classified CONFIDENTIAL. Components of 
the GMLRS system are considered highly resistant to reverse engineering 
and the impact of loss or diversion of the end item hardware would have 
minimum adverse impact.
    4. The M57 ATACMS Unitary is a conventional, semi-ballistic missile 
which utilizes a 500-lb high explosive unitary warhead. It has a range 
of 70-270km and increased accuracy and lethality due to a GPS/PPS-aided 
guidance system. The ATACMS T2K is an upgraded missile variant which 
redesigned previous variants' components to compensate for obsolescence 
issues and lowered per-unit cost. Critical technologies on the M57 
include the GPS antenna, laser-ring gyroscopes production processes 
involved in the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and lithium thermal 
batteries used in missile guidance and control. ATACMS missile hardware 
and operational software are UNCLASSIFIED. Data table and mission 
critical data generator special applications software are classified 
CONFIDENTIAL. Performance and accuracy/lethality data are classified up 
to the SECRET level. System response time and trajectory data are 
classified CONFIDENTIAL.
    5. The Army's FMCW-DDR height of burst technology is comprised of 
components and software requiring special production skills and is 
deemed state of the art. The sensitive aspects of the technology reside 
primarily the design, development, production, and manufacturing data 
for the related components (integrated circuits and flex cable 
assembly) and in the methodology required to integrate those components 
onto the flex cable assembly to process embedded data (the software, 
algorithm, and operating parameters). The sole technology aspect of the 
FMCW-DDR present in the M31 proximity height of burst sensor is the 
signal processing algorithm (i.e. processing techniques) modified 
specifically for use in the M31. The disclosure of know-how, software, 
and other associated documentation for this sensitive technology is not 
authorized under this sale.
    6. 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.
    7. A determination has been made that Bahrain can provide 
substantially the same degree of protection of 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. Moreover, the benefits to be derived from this 
sale, as outlined in the Policy Justification, outweigh the potential 
damage that could result if the sensitive technology were revealed to 
unauthorized persons.
    8. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal are 
authorized for release and export to the Government of Bahrain.

[FR Doc. 2018-24403 Filed 11-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-06-P