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May 20, 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.
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 26-52.
Pursuant to the reporting requirements of Section 36(b)(1)
of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), as amended, we are
forwarding Transmittal No. 26-52 concerning the Air Force's
proposed Letter(s) of Offer and Acceptance to the Government
of Belgium for defense articles and services estimated to
cost $236 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. 26-52
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 Belgium.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $0 million.
Other $236 million.
Total $236 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE): None.
Non-MDE: The following non-MDE items will be included: AGM-
184 Joint Strike Missiles; spare parts, consumables and
accessories, repair and return support; training aids,
devices, and spare parts; testing and multi-purpose missile
equipment; classified and unclassified software delivery and
support; classified and unclassified publications and
technical documentation; transportation 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 (BE-D-YAB).
(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: May 18, 2026.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export
Control Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Belgium—AGM-184 Joint Strike Missiles
The Government of Belgium has requested to buy AGM-184
Joint Strike Missiles; spare parts, consumables and
accessories, repair
and return support; training aids, devices, and spare parts;
testing and multi-purpose missile equipment; classified and
unclassified software delivery and support; classified and
unclassified publications and technical documentation;
transportation 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 up to $236 million.
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.
The proposed sale will improve Belgium's capability to meet
current and future threats by enhancing the lethality of its
F-35 platform and assisting the Belgium Ministry of Defense
with completing its core tasks of contributing to the
collective defense of NATO. Belgium 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 Kongsberg Defence and
Aerospace AS, located in Kongsberg, Norway; and RTX
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 Belgium.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 26-52
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:
low-radar signature, high subsonic, long-range, precision-
guided, network enabled, stand-off cruise missile. It is
primarily integrated into the F-35 but can also be deployed
on other platforms. It incorporates sophisticated guidance
systems which include a combination of Global Positioning
System, and Precise Positioning Services, Inertial Navigation
System, and Terrain Contour Matching for enroute guidance and
imaging infrared seeker with Autonomous Target Recognition,
capable of identifying specific targets for terminal
guidance. The missile can engage both ships and land targets
and is capable of sea-skimming or following complex terrain
to evade detection. The warhead is a 260-pound class blast-
fragmentation warhead.
components, and services included in this potential sale is
SECRET.
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.
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.