ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION

On 2026-09-15, Senator James E. Risch (R-ID) delivered a floor speech titled "ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION" in the Senate.

ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S4728-S4729] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is still available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications that have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such an annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: [[Page S4729]] U.S. Department of State, Washington DC. CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION TRANSMITTAL LETTER Please find enclosed the following notification from the Department of State. Department Notification Number: RSAT 26-35. Pursuant to the reporting requirements of Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), as amended, we are forwarding Transmittal No. 26-35 concerning the Air Force's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and Acceptance to the Government of Saudi Arabia for defense articles and services estimated to cost $5 billion. We will issue a news release to notify the public of this proposed sale upon delivery of this letter to your office. Recipients: Speaker of the House of Representatives House Committee on Foreign Affairs Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Sincerely, Katherine Bowles, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of Legislative Affairs. Transmittal No. 26-35 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: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. (ii) Total Estimated Value: Major Defense Equipment * $2.0 billion. Other $3.0 billion. Total $5.0 billion. Funding Source: National Funds. (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or Services under Consideration for Purchase: Major Defense Equipment (MDE): Five thousand four (5,004) KMU-572 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kits. Five thousand (5,000) KMU-556 JDAM guidance kits. Five thousand four (5,004) BLU-111 500-lb general purpose bombs. Five thousand (5,000) BLU-117 2,00-lb general purpose bombs. Non-MDE: The following non-MDE items will also be included: FMU-139 fuze systems; DSU-38 and DSU-40 target detectors; containers and support equipment; spare parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return support; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. (iv) Military Department: Air Force (SR-D-YAJ). (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: September 1, 2026. * As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act. POLICY JUSTIFICATION Kingdom of Saudi Arabia--Joint Direct Attack Munitions--Extend Range The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has requested to buy five thousand four (5,004) KMU-572 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kits; five thousand (5,000) KMU-556 JDAM guidance kits; five thousand four (5,004) BLU-111 500-lb general purpose bombs; and five thousand (5,000) BLU-117 2,000-lb general purpose bombs. The following non-major defense equipment will also be included: FMU-139 fuze systems; DSU-38 and DSU-40 target detectors; containers and support equipment; spare parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return support; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $5.0 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 non-NATO Ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region. The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia's airborne defense capability to counter current and future regional threats, strengthen its homeland defense, and improve interoperability with systems operated by U.S. forces and other Gulf Region partners. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 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 military balance in the region. The principal contractor will be The Boeing Corporation, located in Arlington, 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 not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness because of this proposed sale. Transmittal No. 26-35 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 Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range (JDAM- ER) consist of a bomb body paired with a warhead-specific tail kit containing an Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System Precision Positioning Service guidance capability that converts unguided free-fall bombs into accurate, adverse weather ``smart'' munitions. The extended range wing kit can be readily installed on existing JDAM MK- 82 500-lb weapons and JDAM MK-84 2,000-lb weapons in the field. The JDAM weapon can be used against a variety of land and surface targets during the day or night. It can also receive target coordinates via preplanned mission data from the delivery aircraft, by onboard aircraft sensors during captive carry, or from a third-party source via manual or automated aircrew cockpit entry. a. The GBU-31 is a 2,000-lb JDAM, and consists of a KMU-556 tail kit and BLU-117 or MK-84 bomb body. b. The GBU-38 is a 500-lb JDAM, and consists of a KMU-572 tail kit and BLU-111 or MK-82 bomb body. 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 system effectiveness or be used in the development of a system with similar or advanced capabilities. 4. The U.S. Government has determined that Saudi Arabia 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 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ____________________