WASHINGTON:- Today the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible foreign military sale to the Government of Saudi Arabia of Tactical Airborne Surveillance System (TASS) aircraft upgrades for an estimated cost of $530 million.
The Government of Saudi Arabia has requested services to upgrade the TASS aircraft, installation of 10 AN/ARC-230 High Frequency Secure Voice/Data Systems, 25 AN/ARC-231 or 25 AN/ARC-210 Very High Frequency/Ultra High Frequency (VHF/UHF) Secure Voice/Data Systems, four Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT), four LN-100GT Inertial Reference Units, 25 SY-100 or functional equivalent Crypto Systems, seven SG-250 or functional equivalent Crypto Systems, six SG-50 or functional equivalent, 10 CYZ-10 Fill Devices, modification of existing ground stations, TASS equipment trainer, mission scenario generator (simulator), and maintenance test equipment; spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical documentation including flight/operator/maintenance manuals, modification/construction of facilities, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and support services and other related elements of logistics support.
The estimated cost is $530 million.
This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country which has been and continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.
The proposed upgrade will enable the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) to sustain their current capability, maintain interoperability with USAF and other coalition forces, and provide flexibility options for future growth. The upgrade will enhance the RSAF’s ability to use a common architecture for efficiently communicating the gathered electronic data, within the RSAF and with other regional coalition forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
The principal contractor will be L-3 Communications Integrated Systems Company in Greenville, TX. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this sale will involve up to six U.S. government and four contractor personnel to participate in program reviews at the contractor’s facility every six months. There will be approximately six contractors in Saudi Arabia providing technical assistance on a full-time basis until the system is integrated into the operational units.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. This notice of a potential sale is required by law. It does not mean that the sale has been concluded.
