Arms Sales Notification, 88032-88035 [2024-25767]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 6, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88032-88035]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25767]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal No. 23-65]


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: Pamela Young at (703) 953-6092, 
[email protected], or [email protected]

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 23-
65, Policy Justification, and Sensitivity of Technology.

    Dated: November 1, 2024.
Stephanie J. Bost,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P

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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN06NO24.002

BILLING CODE 6001-FR-C
Transmittal No. 23-65
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 Republic of Korea
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment *...............  $3.08 billion
Other...................................  $1.98 billion
                                         -------------------------------
  TOTAL.................................  $5.06 billion
 

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

Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
    Up to twenty-five (25) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take 
Off and Landing (CTOL) Aircraft
    Up to twenty-six (26) Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 Engines (25 
installed, 1 spare)
Non-MDE:
    Also included are AN/PYQ-10 Simple Key Loaders (SKL); KIV-78 
Cryptographic Appliques; Electronic Warfare (EW) Reprogramming Lab 
support; Cartridge Actuated Devices/Propellant Actuated Devices (CAD/
PAD); classified software delivery and support; Contractor Logistics 
Support (CLS); aircraft and munitions support and support equipment; 
spare parts, consumables, accessories, and repair/return support; 
aircraft engine component improvement program (CIP) support; secure 
communications, precision

[[Page 88034]]

navigation, and cryptographic devices; major modifications, 
maintenance, and maintenance support, to include Block 4 upgrade; 
transportation, ferry, and refueling support; personnel training and 
training equipment, including simulators; classified and unclassified 
publications and technical documents; studies and surveys; U.S. 
Government and engineering, technical, and logistics support services; 
and other related elements of logistics and program support.

    (iv) Military Department: Air Force (KS-D-SAF)
    (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: KS-D-SAC, KS-D-QGC
    (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 13, 2023
    * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

Republic of Korea (ROK)--F-35 Aircraft

    The Government of the Republic of Korea has requested to buy up to 
twenty-five (25) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take Off and 
Landing (CTOL) aircraft; and up to twenty-six (26) Pratt & Whitney 
F135-PW-100 engines (25 installed, 1 spare). Also included are AN/PYQ-
10 Simple Key Loaders (SKL); KIV-78 Cryptographic Appliques; Electronic 
Warfare (EW) Reprogramming Lab support; Cartridge Actuated Devices/
Propellant Actuated Devices (CAD/PAD); classified software delivery and 
support; Contractor Logistics Support (CLS); aircraft and munitions 
support and support equipment; spare parts, consumables, accessories, 
and repair/return support; aircraft engine component improvement 
program (CIP) support; secure communications, precision navigation, and 
cryptographic devices; major modifications, maintenance, and 
maintenance support, to include Block 4 upgrade; transportation, ferry, 
and refueling support; personnel training and training equipment, 
including simulators; classified and unclassified publications and 
technical documents; studies and surveys; U.S. Government and 
engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other 
related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total 
cost is $5.06 billion.
    This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and 
national security objectives of the United States by improving the 
security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and 
economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region.
    The proposed sale will improve the Republic of Korea's capability 
to meet current and future threats by providing credible defense 
capability to deter aggression in the region and ensure 
interoperability with U.S. forces. The proposed sale will augment 
Korea's operational aircraft inventory and enhance its air-to-air and 
air-to-ground self-defense capability. Korea already has F-35s in its 
inventory and will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and 
services 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 Lockheed Martin Aeronautics 
Company, Fort Worth, TX, and Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, East 
Hartford, CT. The purchaser typically requests offsets. Any offset 
agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the 
contractor.
    Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the 
assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor 
representatives to the Republic of Korea.
    There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a 
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 23-65
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 F-35A aircraft is a single seat, single engine, all-weather, 
stealth, fifth-generation, multirole aircraft. It contains sensitive 
technology including the low observable airframe/outer mold line, the 
Pratt and Whitney F135 engine, AN/APG-81 radar, an integrated core 
processor central computer, a mission systems/electronic warfare suite, 
a multiple sensor suite, technical data/documentation and associated 
software. Sensitive elements of the F-35A are also included in 
operational flight and maintenance trainers. Sensitive and classified 
elements of the F-35A aircraft include hardware, accessories, 
components, and associated software for the following major subsystems:
    a. The Pratt and Whitney F135 engine is a single 40,000-pound 
thrust class engine designed for the F-35 and assures highly reliable, 
affordable performance. The engine is designed to be utilized in all F-
35 variants, providing unmatched commonality and supportability 
throughout the worldwide base of F-35 users.
    b. The AN/APG-81 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) is a 
high processing power/high transmission power electronic array capable 
of detecting air and ground targets from a greater distance than 
mechanically scanned array radars. It also contains a synthetic 
aperture radar (SAR), which creates high-resolution ground maps and 
provides weather data to the pilot and provides air and ground tracks 
to the mission system, which uses it as a component to fuse sensor 
data.
    c. The Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) provides long-range 
detection and tracking as well as an infrared search and track (IRST) 
and forward-looking infrared (FLIR) capability for precision tracking, 
weapons delivery and bomb damage assessment (BDA). The EOTS replaces 
multiple separate internal or podded systems typically found on legacy 
aircraft.
    d. The Electro-Optical Distributed Aperture System (EODAS) provides 
the pilot with full spherical coverage for air-to-air and air-to-ground 
threat awareness, day/night vision enhancements, a fire control 
capability and precision tracking of wingmen/friendly aircraft. The 
EODAS provides data directly to the pilot's helmet as well as the 
mission system.
    e. The F-35 Electronic Warfare (EW) system is a reprogrammable, 
integrated system that provides radar warning and electronic support 
measures (ESM) along with a fully integrated countermeasures (CM) 
system. The EW system is the primary subsystem used to enhance 
situational awareness, targeting support and self-defense through the 
search, intercept, location and identification of in-band emitters and 
to automatically counter IR and RF threats.
    f. The F-35 Communications, Navigation, and Identification (CNI) 
system provides the pilot with unmatched connectivity to flight 
members, coalition forces and the battlefield. It is an integrated 
subsystem designed to provide a broad spectrum of secure, anti-jam 
voice and data communications, precision radio navigation and landing 
capability, self-identification, beyond visual range target 
identification and connectivity to off-board sources of information. It 
also includes an inertial navigation and global positioning system 
(GPS) for precise location information. The functionality is tightly 
integrated within

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the mission system to enhance efficiency.
    g. The F-35 CNI system includes two data links: Multi-Function 
Advanced Data Link (MADL) and Link 16. MADL is designed specifically 
for the F-35 and allows for Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) 
communications between F-35s. Link 16 is a command, control, 
communications, and intelligence (C3I) system incorporating jam-
resistant, digital communication links for exchange of near real-time 
tactical information, including both data and voice, among air, ground, 
and sea elements. It provides the warfighter key theater functions such 
as surveillance, identification, air control, weapons engagement 
coordination, and direction for all services and allied forces. Link-16 
equipment allows the F-35 to communicate with battlespace participants 
using widely-distributed J-series message protocols.
    h. The F-35 Autonomic Logistics Global Sustainment (ALGS) provides 
a fully integrated logistics management solution. ALGS integrates a 
number of functional areas, including supply chain management, repair, 
support equipment, engine support and training. The ALGS infrastructure 
employs a state-of-the-art information system that provides real-time, 
decision-worthy information for sustainment decisions by flight line 
personnel. Prognostic health monitoring technology is integrated with 
the air system and is crucial to predictive maintenance of vital 
components.
    i. The F-35 Operational Data Integrated Network (ODIN) provides an 
intelligent information infrastructure that binds all the key concepts 
of ALGS into an effective support system. ALIS establishes the 
appropriate interfaces among the F-35 Air Vehicle, the warfighter, the 
training system, government information technology (IT) systems, and 
supporting commercial enterprise systems. Additionally, ALIS provides a 
comprehensive tool for data collection and analysis, decision support 
and action tracking.
    j. The F-35 Training System includes several training devices to 
provide integrated training for pilots and maintainers. The pilot 
training devices include a Full Mission Simulator (FMS) and Deployable 
Mission Rehearsal Trainer (DMRT). The maintenance training devices 
include an Aircraft Systems Maintenance Trainer (ASMT), Ejection System 
Maintenance Trainer (ESMT), Outer Mold Line (OML) Lab, Flexible Linear 
Shaped Charge (FLSC) Trainer, F135 Engine Module Trainer and Weapons 
Loading Trainer (WLT). The F-35 Training System can be integrated, 
where both pilots and maintainers learn in the same Integrated Training 
Center (ITC). Alternatively, the pilots and maintainers can train in 
separate facilities (Pilot Training Center and Maintenance Training 
Center).
    k. Other subsystems, features, and capabilities include the F-35's 
low observable air frame, Integrated Core Processor (ICP) Central 
Computer, Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS), Pilot Life Support 
System (PLSS), Off-Board Mission Support (OMS) System, and 
publications/maintenance manuals. The HMDS provides a fully sunlight 
readable, binocular display presentation of aircraft information 
projected onto the pilot's helmet visor. The use of a night vision 
camera integrated into the helmet eliminates the need for separate 
Night Vision Goggles. The PLSS provides a measure of Pilot Chemical, 
Biological, and Radiological Protection through use of an OnBoard 
Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS); and an escape system that provides 
additional protection to the pilot. OBOGS takes the Power and Thermal 
Management System (PTMS) air and enriches it by removing gases (mainly 
nitrogen) by adsorption, thereby increasing the concentration of oxygen 
in the product gas and supplying breathable air to the pilot. The OMS 
provides a mission planning, mission briefing, and a maintenance/
intelligence/tactical debriefing platform for the F-35.
    2. The AN/APQ-10 Simple Key Loader is a handheld device used for 
securely receiving, storing, and transferring data between compatible 
cryptographic and communications equipment.
    3. The KIV-78 is a cryptographic applique for IFF. It can be loaded 
with Mode 5 classified elements.
    4. The Electronic Warfare Reprogramming Lab is used by USG 
engineers in the reprogramming and creation of shareable Mission Data 
Files for foreign F-35 customers.
    5. The highest level of classification of defense articles, 
components, and services included in this potential sale is SECRET.
    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 the Republic of Korea 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.
    8. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal 
have been authorized for release and export to the Republic of Korea.

[FR Doc. 2024-25767 Filed 11-5-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P