Arms Sales Notification

Floor Speech

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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.

Department of State, Washington, DC. congressional notification transmittal letter

Please find enclosed the following notification from the Department of State.

Department Notification Number: RSAT 26-82.

Pursuant to the reporting requirements of Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), as amended, we are forwarding Transmittal No. 26-82 concerning Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and Acceptance to the Government of Norway for defense articles and services estimated to cost $270 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, Christopher Bergaust, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of Legislative Affairs. transmittal no. 26-82 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^* $0.

Other $270 million.

Total $270 million.

(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or Services under Consideration for Purchase: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case NO-B-VSJ was below the congressional notification threshold at $99.99 million ($0 in major defense equipment (MDE)) and included 155mm High Explosive (HE) M795 Projectiles. The Government of Norway has requested that the case be amended to include additional 155mm HE M795 Projectiles; technical assistance; technical documentation; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. 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: 155mm HE M795 Projectiles; technical assistance; technical documentation; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support.

(iv) Military Department: Army (NO-B-VSJ).

(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: None.

(viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: August 5, 2026.

^* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act. policy justification Norway--155mm High Explosive (HE) M795 Projectile

The Government of Norway has requested to buy additional 155mm High Explosive (HE) M795 Projectiles; technical assistance; technical documentation; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support 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 (FMS) case, valued at $99.99 million ($0 in major defense equipment (MDE)), included 155mm HE M795 Projectiles. This notification is for a combined total of the following non-MDE items: 155mm HE M795 Projectiles; technical assistance; technical documentation; 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 $270 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 that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe.

The proposed sale will improve Norway's capability to meet current and future threats and increase its interoperability with the U.S. and other allied forces. This proposed sale will enhance Norway's artillery and mid-range fire capability. Norway will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment 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 American Ordinance, located in Middletown, IA; and General Dynamics, located in Camden, AR. While this purchaser typically requests offsets, there is currently no known offset agreement regarding the items being added to this case. 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 Norway.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

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