[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 198 (Friday, October 11, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82579-82581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23552]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Transmittal No. 23-41]


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, 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5a2a3b373f363b743b7423352f343d6b6e7439332c1a373b333674373336"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e99988848c8588c788c790869c878ed8ddc78a809fa984888085c7848085">[email protected]</span></a>, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#583c2b3b3976363b2a762a2b2a3b353f352c7634312b2c763b362b75353a20183539313476353134"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c7a3b4a4a6e9a9a4b5e9b5b4b5a4aaa0aab3e9abaeb4b3e9a4a9b4eaaaa5bf87aaa6aeabe9aaaeab">[email protected]</span></a>.

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-
41, Policy Justification, and Sensitivity of Technology.

    Dated: October 7, 2024.
Patricia L. Toppings,
OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P

[[Page 82580]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN11OC24.007

BILLING CODE 6001-FR-C
Transmittal No. 23-41
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 Norway
    (ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment *................  $248 million
Other....................................  $ 45 million
                                          ------------------------------
  Total..................................  $293 million
 

    (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or 
Services Under Consideration for Purchase: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) 
case NO-D-AAG was below the congressional notification threshold at 
$18.9 million ($7.2 million in Major Defense Equipment (MDE)), and 
included twenty (20 Guided Bomb Unit (GBU)-53/B Small Diameter Bombs-
Increment II (SDB-II) All-Up-Rounds (AURs). The Government of Norway 
has requested the case be amended to include up to an additional five 
hundred eighty (580) GBU-53/B SDB-II AURs. This amendment will increase 
the MDE and total case values above notification thresholds and thus 
requires notification of the entire case.

Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
    Up to Six Hundred (600) GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bombs-Increment II 
(SDB-II) All-Up-Rounds (AURs)
Non-MDE:
    Also included are SDB-II Weapon Load Crew Trainers (WLCT) and 
Practical Explosive Ordnance Disposal Trainers (PEDT); munitions 
support and support equipment; unclassified software delivery and 
support; spare parts, consumables, and accessories;

[[Page 82581]]

repair and return support; modifications and maintenance support; 
transportation support; unclassified publications and technical 
documentation; personnel training equipment and support; studies and 
surveys; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and 
logistics support services; and other related elements of logistical 
and program support.

    (iv) Military Department: Air Force (NO-D-AAG)
    (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: June 28, 2023

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

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

Norway--Small Diameter Bomb II

    The Government of Norway has requested to buy up to five hundred 
eighty (580) GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bombs-Increment II (SDB-II) All-
Up-Rounds (AURs) that will be added to a previously implemented case. 
The original foreign military sales (FMS) case, valued at $18.9 
million, included twenty (20) GBU-53/B, SDB-II AURs. This amendment 
will increase the MDE and total case values above notification 
thresholds and thus requires notification of the entire case. 
Therefore, this notification is for a total of up to six hundred (600) 
GBU-53/B, SDB-II AURs. Also included are SDB-II Weapon Load Crew 
Trainers (WLCT) and Practical Explosive Ordnance Disposal Trainers 
(PEDT); munitions support and support equipment; unclassified software 
delivery and support; spare parts, consumables, and accessories; repair 
and return support; modifications and maintenance support; 
transportation support; unclassified publications and technical 
documentation; personnel training equipment and support; studies and 
surveys; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and 
logistics support services; and other related elements of logistical 
and program support. The total estimated cost is $293 million.
    This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals 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 Norway's capability to meet current 
and future threats by bolstering operational readiness while enhancing 
air and defense capabilities with a modernized weapon to support the 
new F-35A fleet. Norway will have no difficulty absorbing this 
equipment 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 contractor will be Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, 
AZ. 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. Government or contractor 
representatives to Norway.
    There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a 
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 23-41
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 GBU-53 Small Diameter Bomb-Increment II (SDB-II) Storm 
Breaker All-Up Round (AUR) is a 250-pound class precision-guided, 
semiautonomous, conventional, air-to-ground munition used to defeat 
moving targets through adverse weather from standoff range. The SDB-II 
has deployable wings and fins and uses Global Positioning System/
Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) guidance, network-enabled datalink 
(Link-16 and Ultra High Frequency), and a multi-mode seeker (millimeter 
wave radar, imaging infrared, semi-active laser) to autonomously 
search, acquire, track, and defeat a variety of moving or stationary 
targets, at standoff range or close in, including a variety of attack 
modes. The SDB-II employs a multi-effects warhead (blast, 
fragmentation, and shaped-charge) for maximum lethality against armored 
and soft targets. The SDB-II weapon system consists of the tactical AUR 
weapon, a 4-place common carriage system, and mission planning system 
munitions application program (MAP).
    a. The SDB-II Weapon Load Crew Trainer (WLCT) is a mass mockup of 
the tactical AUR used for load crew and maintenance training. It does 
not contain energetics, a live fuze, any sensitive components, or 
hazardous material. It is not flight certified.
    b. The SDB-II Practical Explosive Ordnance Disposal Trainer (PEST) 
is an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) training unit with sections and 
internal subassemblies which are identical to, or correlate to, the 
external hardware, sections, and internal subassemblies of the tactical 
AUR. The PEST does not contain energetics, a live fuze, any sensitive 
components, or hazardous material. It is not flight certified.
    2. The highest level of classification of defense articles, 
components, and services included in this potential sale is SECRET.
    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 weapon system 
effectiveness or be used in the development of a system with similar or 
advanced capabilities.
    4. A determination has been made that Norway 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.
    5. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal 
have been authorized for release and export to the Government of 
Norway.

[FR Doc. 2024-23552 Filed 10-10-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P


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