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March 26, 2026
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Download official Senate Record PDFReturn to issue contextMr. 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.
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.
United States Department of State,
Washington, DC.
Congressional Notification Transmittal Letter
Please find enclosed the following notification from the
Department of State.
Department Notification Number: RSAT 26-21
Pursuant to the reporting requirements of Section 36(b)(1)
of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), as amended, we are
forwarding Transmittal No. 26-21 concerning the Army's
proposed Letter(s) of Offer and Acceptance to the Government
of Belgium for defense articles and services estimated to
cost $156.1 million. 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,
Paul D. Guaglianone,
Senior Bureau Official,
Bureau of Legislative Affairs.
Transmittal No. 26-21
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to
Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended
(i) (U) Prospective Purchaser: Government of Belgium
(ii) (U) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $0 million.
Other $156.1 million.
Total $156.1 million.
(iii) (U) Description and Quantity or Quantities of
Articles or Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Foreign Military Sales case BE-B-WDQ was below congressional
notification threshold at $86.95 million ($0 in major defense
equipment (MDE)) and included AN/PRC-117G radios; AN/PRC-152A
radios; AN-PRC-160 radios; AN/PRC-158 radios; and AN/PRC-163
radios. The Government of Belgium has requested that the case
be amended to include additional non-MDE items. This
amendment will cause the case to exceed the notification
threshold, and thus notification of the entire program is
required. The above notification requirements are combined as
follows:
MDE: None
Non-MDE: The following non-MDE items will be included: AN/
PRC-117G radios; AN/PRC-152A radios: AN-PRC-160 radios; AN/
PRC-158 radios; AN/PRC-163 radios, AN/PRC-167 radios; KIK-11
tactical key loader, AN/PRC-117G accessories, dismount kit,
vehicular integration, and batteries; AN/PRC-152A
accessories, dismount kit, and vehicular integration; AN/PRC-
158 accessories, dismount kit, vehicular integration, and
training; AN/PRC-160 accessories, dismount kit, vehicular
integration, batteries, and training; AN/PRC-163 ancillaries,
batteries, and dismount accessories; AN/PRC-167 ancillaries,
batteries, and dismount accessories; RF-9820S radio and
dismount accessories; radio specific audio, power, and
configuration accessories; U.S. government and contractor
technical engineering, logistics, and personnel services; and
other related elements of logistics and program support.
(iv) (U) Military Department: Army (BE-B-WDQ).
(v) (U) Prior Related Cases, if any: None.
(vi) (U) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, Offered, or
Agreed to be Paid: None known at this time.
(vii) (U) Sensitivity of Technology Contained in the
Defense Article or Defense Services Proposed to be Sold: See
Attached Annex.
(viii) (U) Date Report Delivered to Congress: March 24,
*As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
(U) Belgium—Communications Equipment
(U) The Government of Belgium has requested to buy
additional AN/PRC-163 radios; AN/PRC-167 radios; AN/PRC-160
radios; KIK-11 tactical key loader, AN/PRC-117G accessories,
dismount kit, vehicular integration, and batteries; AN/PRC
152A accessories, dismount kit, and vehicular integration;
AN/PRC-158 accessories, dismount kit, vehicular integration,
and training; AN/PRC-160 accessories, dismount kit, vehicular
integration, batteries, and training; AN/PRC-163 ancillaries,
batteries, and dismount accessories; AN/PRC-167 ancillaries,
batteries, and dismount accessories; RF-9820S radio and
dismount accessories; radio specific audio, power, and
configuration accessories; U.S. government and contractor
technical engineering, logistics, and personnel services; and
other related elements of logistics and program support that
will be added to a previously implemented case whose value
was under the congressional notification threshold. The
original Foreign Military Sales case, valued at $86.95
million, included the following non-major defense equipment
items: AN/PRC 117G radios; AN/PRC-152A radios; AN-PRC-160
radios; AN/PRC-158 radios; and AN/PRC-163 radios. The
estimated total cost is $156.1 million.
(U) This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security objectives of the United States by
improving the security of a NATO Ally which is an important
force for political stability and economic progress in
Europe.
(U) The proposed sale will enable the Belgium Army to
communicate across moderate to extended distances using
encryption that
prevents interception. The proposed sale will support its
goal of improving national and territorial defense, as well
as interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces. Belgium will
have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed
forces.
(U) The proposed sale of this equipment and support will
not alter the basic military balance in the region.
(U) The principal contractor will be L3 Harris, located in
Melbourne, FL. 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.
(U) Implementation of this proposed sale will not require
the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or
contractor representatives to Belgium.
(U) There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense
readiness as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 26-21
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:
versatile, secure solution that leverages crossbanding to
provide simultaneous data and voice across satellite
communications (SATCOM), line-of-sight, and mobile ad-hoc
networking modes. As mission needs evolve, this software-
defined handheld supports fast, infield updates to new
capabilities. An external mission module hardware interface
allows warfighters to quickly add options including
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance video and
SATCOM. The radio supports U.S. Type-1 security and includes
an embedded selective availability anti-spoofing module
(SAASM) global positioning system (GPS) receiver for accurate
timing and location information.
tactical narrow, and wide-band dual transceiver radio system
providing Type-1 encryption and SAASM GPS location and timing
capabilities. The system can provide wide-band high-assurance
self-healing networking capabilities and mobile user
objective system over-the-horizon capabilities. Each
transceiver is software-programmable and operates in the 30-5
12 megahertz and 764-2600 megahertz frequency ranges. The
system can operate using the following waveforms: narrow-band
analog/PCM AM/FM, CVSD ASK/FSK cipher text, wideband 2400 bps
and LPC/2400 MELP—SATCOM.
high frequency multiband multi-channel (dual channel) radio.
It is a portable, compact, tactical software-defined combat-
net radio manufactured by L3/Harris Corporation. The AN/PRC-
158 includes Type-1 encryption and a SAASM GPS receiver. The
AN/PRC-158 has been fielded since 2005 by the U.S. Army, the
U.S. Marine Corps, and various select countries.
frequency (HF)/VHF transceiver providing Type-1 encryption
and SAASM GPS location and timing capabilities. The system
provides continuous frequency coverage from 1.5 to 60
megahertz. The manpack version provides 20 watts HF and 10
watts VHF and transmits power from a single battery. The
system transmits in bandwidths from 3 kilohertz to 24
kilohertz with data rates up to 120 kilobytes per second. The
software programmable system can operate using NATO standard
2G, 3G, and 4(J automatic link establishment waveforms and is
compatible with AM single sideband and CW modes.
multiband radio designed to provide secure voice, data, and
video communication for U.S. military and allied forces. It
supports a wide range of waveforms, including SATCOM, single
channel ground and airborne radio system (SINCGARS), and
wideband networking waveforms like ANW2C, enabling reliable
communication in both line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight
scenarios. With National Security Agency-certified Type-1
encryption, the AN/PRC-117G ensures secure communication in
contested environments and seamless interoperability across
tactical networks. The system includes an embedded SAASM GPS
receiver for accurate timing and location information.
software-defined radio that provides secure, multiband
communication for tactical operations. It supports a variety
of waveforms, including SATCOM, SINCGARS, and TrellisWare
Secure Mobile, enabling simultaneous voice, data, and
networking capabilities. With NSA-certified Type-1
encryption, the AN/PRC-152A ensures secure and reliable
communication in dynamic and contested environments. Its
interoperability with other tactical systems makes it a vital
tool for modern military operations.
software-programmable crypto key loader capable of storing 40
keys in 12 slots. It supports current U.S. Type-1 keys and
SINCGARS load sets. As a Type-1 Cryptographic Controlled
Item, the KIK-11 requires strict export controls and access
restrictions to prevent unauthorized disclosure of sensitive
classified crypto keys.
articles, components, and services included in this potential
sale is UNCLASSIFIED.
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.
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.
transmittal have been authorized for release and export to
the Government of Belgium.