36(b)(1) Arms Sales Notification, 492-494 [2014-30935]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 3 (Tuesday, January 6, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 492-494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30935]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal Nos. 13-45]


36(b)(1) Arms Sales Notification

AGENCY: Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text 
of a section 36(b)(1) arms sales notification. This is published to 
fulfill the requirements of section 155 of Public Law 104-164 dated 
July 21, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. B. English, DSCA/DBO/CFM, (703) 
601-3740.
    The following is a copy of a letter to the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, Transmittals 13-45 with attached transmittal, policy 
justification, and Sensitivity of Technology.

    Dated: December 31, 2014.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.

[[Page 493]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN06JA15.015

Transmittal No. 13-45
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: Iraq
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment*................  $.70 billion
Other...................................  $ 1.70 billion
                                         -------------------------------
  Total.................................  $2.40 billion
 
* as defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

    (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
Services under Consideration
    for Purchase: 175 Full Track M1A1 Abrams Tanks with 120mm Gun 
modified and upgraded to the M1A1 Abrams configuration, 15 M88A2 
Improved Tank Recovery Vehicles, 175 .50 Cal M2 Machine Guns with 
Chrysler Mount, 350 7.62mm M240 Machine Guns, 10 .50 Cal BR M2 HB 
Machine Guns, 10,000 M831A1 120mm High Explosive Anti-tank TP-T 
Ammunition, 25,000 M865 120mm TPCSDS-T Ammunition, 10,000 M830A1 120mm 
High Explosive Anti-tank Multipurpose Tracer Ammunition, 10,000 M1002 
120mm Target Practice Multipurpose Tracer (TPMP-T) Ammunition, and 190 
AN/VRC-92 Vehicular Dual Long-Range Radio Systems, 700 M1028 Commercial 
Utility Cargo Vehicles, Radios, Receiver Transmitters (RT-1702G), 
installation, ammunition, simulators,

[[Page 494]]

communication equipment, support equipment, fuel, transportation, spare 
and repair parts, site surveys, Quality Assurance Teams, special tools 
and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment, 
publications and technical documentation, U.S. Government and 
contractor technical, engineering, and logistical support services, and 
other related elements of program and logistics support.
    (iv) Military Department: U.S. Army (USA)
    (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: FMS case VPP--$684M-20Oct08
    (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: 19 Dec 14

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

Iraq--M1A1 Abrams Tanks

    The Government of Iraq has requested a possible sale of 175 Full 
Track M1A1 Abrams Tanks with 120mm Gun modified and upgraded to the 
M1A1 Abrams configuration, 15 M88A2 Improved Tank Recovery Vehicles, 
175 .50 Cal M2 Machine Guns with Chrysler Mount, 350 7.62mm M240 
Machine Guns, 10 .50 Cal BR M2 HB Machine Guns, 10,000 M831A1 120mm 
High Explosive Anti-tank TP-T Ammunition, 25,000 M865 120mm TPCSDS-T 
Ammunition, 10,000 M830A1 120mm High Explosive Anti-tank Multipurpose 
Tracer Ammunition, 10,000 M1002 120mm Target Practice Multipurpose 
Tracer (TPMP-T) Ammunition, and 190 AN/VRC-92 Vehicular Dual Long-Range 
Radio Systems, 700 M1028 Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicles, Radios, 
Receiver Transmitters (RT-1702G), installation, ammunition, simulators, 
communication equipment, support equipment, fuel, transportation, spare 
and repair parts, site surveys, Quality Assurance Teams, special tools 
and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment, 
publications and technical documentation, U.S. Government and 
contractor technical, engineering, and logistical support services, and 
other related elements of program and logistics support. The estimated 
cost is $2.4 billion.
    This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and 
national security of the United States by helping to improve the 
security of a friendly country. This proposed sale directly supports 
the Government of Iraq and serves the interests of the people of Iraq 
and the United States.
    Iraq will use the M1A1 Abrams tank to facilitate progress towards 
increasing its ability to quickly mobilize and defend its border. 
Support of the M1A1 Abrams tanks for Iraq demonstrates the on-going 
U.S. commitment to support Iraq's continued development into a 
sovereign, stable, and long-term self-reliant strategic partner. Iraq 
will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces
    The proposed sale of these tanks will not alter the basic military 
balance in the region.
    The principal contractor is not known at this time and will be 
determined during contract negotiations. There are no known offset 
agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.
    Implementation of this proposed sale will require approximately 
five U.S. Government and one hundred contractor representatives to 
travel to Iraq for a period of up to five years for delivery, system 
checkout, program support, and training.
    There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a 
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 13-45
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to Section 
36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended
Annex Item No. vii
    (vii) Sensitivity of Technology:
    1. The M1A1M Abrams Tank components considered to contain sensitive 
technology in the proposed program are as follows:
    a. The M1A1M Thermal Imaging System (TIS) 2nd Generation Forward 
Looking Infrared (FLIR) constitutes a target acquisition system which, 
when operated with other tank systems, gives the tank crew a 
substantial advantage over a potential threat. The TIS provides the 
M1A1 crew with the ability to effectively aim and fire the tank main 
armament system under a broad range of adverse battlefield conditions. 
The hardware itself is Unclassified. The engineering design and 
manufacturing data associated with the detector and infrared (IR) 
optics and coatings are considered sensitive. The technical data 
package is Unclassified with exception of the specifications for target 
acquisition range (Confidential), nuclear hardening (Confidential, 
restricted data), and laser hardening (Secret).
    b. Major components of Special Armor are fabricated in sealed 
modules and in serialized removable subassemblies. Special armor 
vulnerability data for both chemical and kinetic energy rounds are 
classified Secret. Engineering design and manufacturing data related to 
the special armor are also classified Secret.
    c. The 120mm Gun and 120mm KEW II Tungsten Ammunition with standard 
High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) and training ammunition will be 
authorized for export. Performance characteristics of service rounds 
are sensitive since they reveal the penetration capabilities of the 
Abrams tank. Since the U.S. intends to offer only the most basic 
ammunition, the capability of the Abrams tank would not be seriously 
compromised. Most of the components of the training ammunition are not 
considered to be sensitive material or technology. These rounds could 
be reverse engineered given sufficiently capable analysis. Technical 
information available from testing and analysis of this ammunition 
could form the basis of research to develop more capable rounds.
    d. (U) The use of the Advanced Gas Turbine-1500 (AGT-1500) Gas 
Turbine Propulsion System in the M1A1M is a unique application of 
armored vehicle power pack technology. The hardware is composed of the 
AGT-1500 engine and transmission, and is Unclassified. Manufacturing 
processes associated with the production of turbine blades, 
recuperator, bearings and shafts, and hydrostatic pump and motor, are 
proprietary and therefore commercially competition sensitive.
    e. (U) A major survivability feature of the Abrams Tank is the 
compartmentalization of fuel and ammunition. Compartmentalization is 
the positive separation of the crew and critical components from 
combustible materials. In the event the fuel or ammunition is ignited 
or deteriorated by an incoming threat round, the crew is fully 
protected by the compartmentalization. Sensitive information includes 
the performance of the ammunition compartments as well as of the 
compartment design parameters.
    2. (U) 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.

[FR Doc. 2014-30935 Filed 1-5-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P