The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Australia of Modular Artillery Charge Systems and XM982 Block Ia-1 Excalibur Projectiles as well as associated equipment and services.

The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $58 million.

The Government of Australia requested a possible sale of 2,400 Modular Artillery Charge Systems (MACS), 250 XM982 Block Ia-1 Excalibur Unitary Projectiles with base bleed units, 43 Portable Excalibur Fire Control Systems (PEFCS), 43 AN/PRC-119 Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) w/o GPS, training ammunition, containers, support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical data, maintenance, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor representatives’ engineering and technical support services, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $58 million.

Australia is one of our most important allies in the Western Pacific. The strategic location of this political and economic power contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the region. Australia’s efforts in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations in Iraq and in Afghanistan have had a significant impact on regional, political, and economic stability and have served U.S. national security interests. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives and facilitates burden sharing with our allies.

The proposed sale will enhance Australia’s defensive capabilities and increase interoperability with United States and multi-national forces supporting coalition operations. The country will have no difficulty absorbing this new capability into its military.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not affect the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractors will be:

• Raytheon Missile Systems (Excalibur) Tucson, Arizona

• ITT (SINCGARS) Roanoke, Virginia

• General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products (MACS), Camden, Arkansas

There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of eight contractor representatives (two in-country for a period of two weeks each), and six U.S. government representatives (two in-country for a period of one-two weeks each).

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.

US DOD
27.04.2008