SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This 36(b) 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 the attached Transmittal 26-18, Policy Justification, and Sensitivity of Technology.

Transmittal No. 26-18

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 the United Kingdom

(ii) Total Estimated Value:

(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or Services under Consideration for Purchase: Foreign Military Sales case UK-P-FDL was below congressional notification threshold at $50 million ($0 in MDE) and included non-recurring engineering support; design integration of U.S. equipment; and submarine combat and weapons systems support for design and production of next generation, future class of nuclear-powered attack submarines developed for the Royal Australian Navy and United Kingdom Royal Navy, and developed as part of the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), the U.S. (AUKUS); delivery of software and technical publications for combat and weapon systems, and UK liaison office administrative support to the purchaser's security assistance foreign representative(s) at Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters. The ( printed page 24857) Government of the UK has requested that the case be amended to include additional non-major defense equipment. This amendment will cause the case to exceed the notification threshold, and thus notification of the entire program is required. The above notification requirements are combined as follows:

Major Defense Equipment (MDE):

None

Non-Major Defense Equipment:

The following non-MDE items will be included: technical assistance to the design and development of AUKUS-specific vertical deployment tubes; common weapon launchers; multiple all-up-round canister support service modules; network input output units; servers and switches and custom electronics, which are specific components of the submarine warfare federated tactical system; simulation equipment; engineering demonstration models; testing and installation equipment; equipment components; information technology hardware; publications and technical documentation; software and source code; U.S. industry support; facility support; personnel training; and embedded U.S. and UK personnel located in both UK and U.S. facilities to support submarine design. Other support services included are U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; test and trials support; studies and surveys; other related elements of engineering services for associated equipment and program support; and other related elements of logistics and program support.

(iv) Military Department: Navy (UK-P-FDL)

(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: None

(vi) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, Offered, or Agreed to be Paid: None known at this time

(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: March 20, 2026

* as defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

United Kingdom—Submarine Combat and Weapon Systems, Technical Support, U.S. and UK Embedded Personnel, and Associated Training

The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) has requested to buy technical assistance to the design and development of AUKUS-specific vertical deployment tubes; common weapon launchers; multiple all-up-round canister support service modules; network input output units; servers and switches and custom electronics, which are specific components of the submarine warfare federated tactical system; simulation equipment; engineering demonstration models; testing and installation equipment; equipment components; information technology hardware; publications and technical documentation; software and source code; U.S. industry support; facility support; personnel training; and embedded U.S. and UK personnel located in both UK and U.S. facilities to support submarine design. Other support services included are U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; test and trials support; studies and surveys; other related elements of engineering services for associated equipment and program support; and other related elements of logistics and program support that will all be added to a previously implemented case whose value was under the congressional notification threshold. The original Foreign Military Sales case, valued at $50 million, included the following non-MDE items: non-recurring engineering support; design integration of U.S. equipment; submarine combat and weapons systems support for design and production of next generation, future class of nuclear-powered attack submarines developed for the Royal Australian Navy and United Kingdom Royal Navy, and developed as part of the trilateral security partnership between Australia, UK, and the U.S. (AUKUS); delivery of software and technical publications for combat and weapon systems, and UK liaison office administrative support to the purchaser's security assistance foreign representative(s) at Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters. The estimated total cost is $1 billion.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in Europe.

The proposed sale will improve the UK's capability to meet current and future threats by providing an effective combatant deterrent capability to protect maritime interests and infrastructure. This acquisition will enhance stability and maritime security in the northwestern region of Europe and contribute to the security and strategic objectives of NATO and the United States. The UK 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 contractors will be Huntington Ingalls Industries, located in Newport News, VA; General Dynamics Electric Boat, located in Groton, CT; General Dynamics Mission Systems, located in Fairfax, VA; Progeny Systems, located in Manassas, VA; Lockheed Martin, located in Bethesda, MD; and Systems Planning and Analysis, located in Alexandria, VA. At this time, the U.S. Government is not aware of any offset agreement proposed in connection with this potential sale. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of approximately three hundred (300) additional U.S. Government and contractor representatives to the UK for a duration of approximately five (5) years to support in-person training, equipment familiarization, and on-site engineering and maintenance.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

Transmittal No. 26-18

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 United States industry support, facility support, submarine combat and weapons systems hardware, training and embedded U.S. civilian, military and contractor personnel located at United Kingdom (UK) facilities to support nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) Australia, the UK, and the United States (AUKUS) design, non-recurring engineering services collectively provisions for the trilateral AUKUS Pillar I program and the Government of the UK's effort to design and deliver the next generation UK attack submarine, SSN-AUKUS. This next generation attack submarine will provide the UK with an effective deterrent capability to protect maritime interests and infrastructure. Technical data and documentation for combat and weapons systems include:

Common Weapons Launcher (CWL) is a system that provides electrical and logical interfaces to, and controls the launch of, payloads launched from ( printed page 24858) several classes of submarines through the ships' torpedo tubes, vertical launch (missile/payload) tubes, and external countermeasure launch modules.

The Vertical Deployment Tube (VDT) mechanical assembly is the primary payload tube and ship structure that maintains watertight integrity and can store a removable payload module. The components of the VDT mechanical assembly include the outer hatch system, access doors internal to the ship, and numerous ship system interfaces to support mission specific removable Payload Modules. More specifically, components like the Multiple All-up-round Canister (MAC) support service module, which is a removable assembly located within the submarine's payload tube whose function is to provide ship services to the MAC and ultimately, the Tomahawk cruise missile.

The Network Input Output Unit (NIOU) is a part of the Payload Tube Control System and provides the interface between the Payload Tube Control Panel (PTCP) and payload tube system, ship systems (hydraulic system, P/V system, etc.), and the program manager provided equipment. NIOU receives discrete and analog sensor data, converts the sensor data to digital data, and sends the data to the PTCP controllers.

Submarine Warfare Federated Tactical System servers provide powerful specialized computing, storage, and input/output processing solutions to run multiple combat and control systems tactical applications and manage data across multiple submarine sensors, payloads, and communications subsystems.

This proposed sale will provide the UK with Tomahawk missile design information required to support the integration of Tomahawk into a vertical launch configuration for SSN-AUKUS, which will be accomplished via the SSN-AUKUS vertical deployment tubes and the U.S. sourced MAC.

2. The highest level of classification of defense articles, components, and services included in this potential sale is TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED IINFORMATION.

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 system effectiveness or be used in the development of a system with similar or advanced capabilities.

4. A determination has been made that the UK can provide substantially the same degree of protection for the sensitive technology being released 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 defense articles and services listed in this transmittal have been authorized for release and export to the Government of the UK.

91 FR 24856