Arms Sales Notification, 66362-66364 [2024-18288]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 158 (Thursday, August 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66362-66364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-18288]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal No. 22-60]


Arms Sales Notification

AGENCY: Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Department of Defense 
(DoD).

ACTION: Arms sales notice.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Neil Hedlund at 
[email protected] or (703) 697-9214.

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 with attached Transmittal 22-
60, Policy Justification, and Sensitivity of Technology.

    Dated: August 12, 2024.
Patricia L. Toppings,
OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
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[[Page 66363]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN15AU24.016

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Transmittal No. 22-60
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 Lithuania
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment *................  $440 million
Other....................................  $ 55 million
                                          ------------------------------
  TOTAL..................................  $495 million
 

    Funding Source: National Funds and Foreign Military Financing (FMF) 
(if approved)
    (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
    Eight (8) M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) 
Launchers
    Thirty-six (36) M30A2 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) 
Alternative Warhead (AW) Missile Pods with Insensitive Munitions 
Propulsion System (IMPS)
    Thirty-six (36) M31A2 GMLRS Unitary High Explosive (HE) Missile 
Pods
    Thirty-six (36) XM403 Extended Range GMLRS (ER GMLRS) Alternative 
Warhead (AW) Missile Pods with IMPS
    Thirty-six (36) XM404 Extended Range GMLRS (ER GMLRS) Unitary Pods 
with IMPS
    Eighteen (18) M57 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) Missile 
Pods
Non-MDE:
    Also included are M28A2 Low Cost Reduced Range Practice Rocket 
(LCRRPR) pods; International Field Artillery Tactical Data System 
(IFATDS); battle management system Vehicle Integration Kits; ruggedized 
laptops; training

[[Page 66364]]

equipment publications for HIMARS and munitions; and other related 
elements of program and logistics support.
    (iv) Military Department: Army (LH-B-UEG)
    (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: November 9, 2022
    * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

Lithuania--M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS)

    The Government of Lithuania has requested to buy eight (8) M142 
High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) Launchers; thirty-six 
(36) M30A2 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) Alternative 
Warhead (AW) Missile Pods with Insensitive Munitions Propulsion System 
(IMPS); thirty-six (36) M31A2 GMLRS Unitary High Explosive (HE) Missile 
Pods; thirty-six (36) XM403 Extended Range GMLRS (ER GMLRS) Alternative 
Warhead (AW) Missile Pods with IMPS; thirty-six (36) XM404 Extended 
Range GMLRS (ER GMLRS) Unitary Pods with IMPS; and eighteen (18) M57 
Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) Missile Pods. Also included are 
M28A2 Low Cost Reduced Range Practice Rocket (LCRRPR) pods; 
International Field Artillery Tactical Data System (IFATDS); battle 
management system Vehicle Integration Kits; ruggedized laptops; 
training equipment publications for HIMARS and munitions; and other 
related elements of program and logistics support. The total estimated 
cost is $495 million.
    This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national 
security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the 
military capability of a NATO Ally that is an important force for 
ensuring political stability and economic progress within Eastern 
Europe.
    The proposed sale will contribute to Lithuania's military goals of 
updating its capability while further enhancing interoperability with 
the United States and other allies. Lithuania intends to use these 
defense articles and services to modernize its armed forces and expand 
its capability to strengthen its homeland defense and deter regional 
threats. Lithuania 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 Lockheed Martin, Grand Prairie, 
TX. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with 
this potential sale.
    Implementation of this proposed sale will require U.S. Government 
or contractor representatives to travel to Lithuania for program 
management reviews to support the program. Travel is expected to occur 
approximately twice per year as needed to support equipment fielding 
and training.
    There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a 
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 22-60
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to Section 
36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended
    (vii) Sensitivity of Technology
    1. The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is a C-
130 transportable wheeled launcher mounted on a 5-ton Family of Medium 
Tactical Vehicles truck chassis. HIMARS is the modern Army-fielded 
version of the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) launcher and 
can fire all the MLRS Family of Munitions/Missiles (FOM) that includes 
Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS), Extended Range GMLRS, and 
the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). Utilizing the FOM, the 
HIMARS can engage targets between 15 and 300 kilometers with Global 
Positioning System/Precise Positioning Service (GPS/PPS)-aided 
precision accuracy.
    2. The GMLRS M31A2 Unitary is the Army's primary munition for units 
fielding the M142 HIMARS and M270Al MLRS Launchers. The M31A2 Unitary 
is a solid propellant artillery rocket that uses GPS/PPS-aided inertial 
guidance to accurately and quickly deliver a single high-explosive 
blast fragmentation warhead to 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.
    3. The M30A2 GMLRS AW shares a greater than 90% commonality with 
the M31A1/A2 Unitary. The primary difference between the GMLRS Unitary 
and GMLRS AW is the replacement of the Unitary high explosive warhead 
with a 200-pound fragmentation warhead of pre-formed tungsten 
penetrators which is optimized for effectiveness against a large area 
and imprecisely located targets. The munitions otherwise share a common 
motor, GPS/PPS-aided inertial guidance and control system, a multi-
option fuzing height of burst capability, and effective range of 15-70 
km.
    4. The M57 ATACMS Unitary is a conventional, semi-ballistic missile 
that utilizes a 500-pound high explosive warhead. It has an effective 
range of between 70 and 300 kilometers and has increased lethality and 
accuracy over previous versions of the ATACMS due to a GPS/Precise 
Position System (PPS) aided navigation system.
    5. The ER GMLRS missiles provide a persistent, responsive, all-
weather, rapidly deployed, long range, surface-to-surface, area- and 
point-precision strike capability. The XM403 Alternative Warhead (AW), 
like GMLRS M30A1/A2, carries a 200-pound fragmentation assembly filled 
with high explosives which, upon detonation, accelerates two layers of 
preformed penetrators optimized for effectiveness against large area 
and imprecisely located targets. The XM404 Unitary, like GMLRS M31A1/
A2, has a 200-pound class unitary with a steel blast-fragmentation 
case, designed for low collateral damage against point targets. Both 
variants of the ER GMLRS missiles maintain the accuracy and 
effectiveness demonstrated by the baseline GMLRS out to a maximum range 
of 150 km (double that of the GMLRS capability).
    6. The highest level of classification of defense articles, 
components, and services included in this potential sale is SECRET.
    7. 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.
    8. A determination has been made that Lithuania can provide 
substantially the same degree of protection for the sensitive 
technology being released as the U.S. Government. This sale is 
necessary in furtherance of the U.S. foreign policy and national 
security objectives outlined in the Policy Justification.
    9. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal 
have been authorized for release and export to the Government of 
Lithuania.

[FR Doc. 2024-18288 Filed 8-14-24; 8:45 am]
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