Notice2025-22604
Arms Sales Notification
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 12, 2025
Issuing agencies
Defense Department
Abstract
The DoD is publishing the unclassified text of an arms sales notification.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 237 (Friday, December 12, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 237 (Friday, December 12, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57741-57743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22604]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
[Transmittal No. 21-15]
Arms Sales Notification
AGENCY: Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Department of Defense
(DoD).
ACTION: Arms sales notice.
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SUMMARY: The DoD is publishing the unclassified text of an arms sales
notification.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Urooj Zahra at (703) 695-6233,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dbaea9b4b4b1f5a1bab3a9baf5b8b2ad9bb6bab2b7f5b6b2b7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2356514c4c490d59424b51420d404a55634e424a4f0d4e4a4f">[email protected]</span></a>, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f89c8b9b99d6969b8ad68a8b8a9b959f958cd694918b8cd69b968bd5959a80b895999194d6959194"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="73170010125d1d10015d010001101e141e075d1f1a00075d101d005e1e110b331e121a1f5d1e1a1f">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 36(b)(1) arms sales notification is
published to fulfill the requirements of section 155 of Public Law 104-
164 dated July 21, 1996. The following is a copy of a letter to the
Speaker of the House of Representatives with attached Transmittal 21-
15, Policy Justification, and Sensitivity of Technology.
Dated: December 9, 2025.
Stephanie J. Bost,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P
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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12DE25.017
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Transmittal No. 21-15
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: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment *............... $ 9 million
Other................................... $130 million
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TOTAL................................. $139 million
Funding Source: National Funds
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Ten thousand (10,000) M456 Series, 105mm, High Explosive Anti-Tank
Tracer Cartridges
Non-MDE:
Also included are various types of tank, howitzer, and machine gun
ammunition; propelling charges; fuzes; primers; grenades; support and
test equipment; integration and test support; spare and repair parts;
software delivery and support; publications and technical
documentation; personnel training and training equipment; United States
(U.S.) Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics
support services; storage; and other related elements of logistical and
program support.
(iv) Military Department: Army (SR-B-UDA, SR-B-UDC)
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: None
(vi) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, Offered, or Agreed to be
Paid: None
(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: October 11, 2024
* as defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia--Ammunition for Artillery Systems, Machine
Guns, and Tanks
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has requested to buy ten thousand
(10,000) M456 series, 105mm, High Explosive Anti-Tank Tracer
cartridges. Also included are various types of tank, howitzer, and
machine gun ammunition; propelling charges; fuzes; primers; grenades;
support and test equipment; integration and test support; spare and
repair parts; software delivery and support; publications and technical
documentation; personnel training and training equipment; U.S.
Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support
services; storage; and other related elements of logistical
[[Page 57743]]
and program support. The total estimated cost is $139 million.
This proposed sale will support U.S. foreign policy and national
security objectives by helping to improve the security of a friendly
country that continues to be an important force for political stability
and economic growth in the Middle East.
The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia's capability to meet
current and future threats and improve interoperability with systems
operated by U.S. Forces and other Gulf countries. Saudi Arabia's
continued investment in its defense capabilities is crucial to
protecting its borders, energy infrastructure, and its residents. Saudi
Arabia will have no difficulty absorbing these munitions into its armed
forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the
basic military balance in the region.
This ammunition will come from a combination of U.S. Army stock and
new procurement. The procurement vendors are unknown at this time. The
purchaser typically requests offsets. 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 Saudi Arabia.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 21-15
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:
1. The 105mm M456A2 High Explosive, Antitank Multipurpose, with
Tracer, Cartridge (DODIC C508) is designed for use against armored
targets and contains Composition B Explosive (an explosive consisting
of castable mixtures of RDX and TNT) and a copper shaped charge liner
inside a steel body. Saudi Arabia will use them in their M60A3 tanks.
2. The 155mm M795 High Explosive Projectile (DODIC D529), will be
used in Saudi Arabia's M109 series howitzers. This item is employed
against personnel; trucks; electronic surveillance and target
acquisition devices; supply points; command and control and
communications (C3) installations; and mechanized and armored forces.
3. The 155mm M231 Propelling Charge (DODIC DA12) will be used in
Saudi Arabia's M109 series howitzers. The Modular Artillery Charge
System (MACS) consists of two propelling charge module types, the M231
and the M232/M232A1, and their associated packaging. The system is
compatible with all current and planned 155mm field artillery weapons.
4. The 155mm M232A1 Propelling Charge (DODIC DA13), will be used in
Saudi Arabia's M109 series howitzers. The Modular Artillery Charge
System (MACS) consists of two propelling charge module types, the M231
and the M232/M232A1, and their associated packaging. The system is
compatible with all current and planned 155mm field artillery weapons.
5. The .50 Cal M8 Armor Piercing Incendiary/M20 Armor Piercing
Incendiary-Tracer, linked 4/1 (DODIC A576), is machine gun ammunition.
The cartridges contain a manganese molybdenum steel core, a point
filler of incendiary composition, and a lead-antimony base seal. This
configuration combines the functions of an armor piercing bullet and an
incendiary bullet, and is used against flammable targets and light-
armored or unarmored targets, concrete shelters, and similar bullet-
resisting targets. The addition of a tracer in the M20 enables the
shooter to follow the projectile trajectory to make aiming corrections.
6. The M67 Fragmentation Hand Grenade (DODIC G881) is an anti-
personnel munition used to supplement small arms fire against enemies
in close combat.
7. The M739A1 Artillery Point Detonating/Delay Fuze (DODIC N340)
will be used in Saudi Arabia's M109 series howitzers. This item is the
U.S. Army's preferred, primary fuze for 105mm and 155mm projectiles to
address point detonating/delay artillery functions.
8. The M82 Percussion Primer (DODIC N523) will be used in Saudi
Arabia's M109 series howitzers.
9. The 120MM Insensitive Munitions High Explosive--Tracer Non-US
Inventory will be used in the M1A2 tanks. Insensitive munitions are
munitions that are designed to withstand stimuli representative of
severe but credible accidents. The current range of stimuli are shock,
heat and adjacent detonating munitions.
10. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is
UNCLASSIFIED.
11. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain
knowledge of the hardware and software elements, the information could
be used to develop countermeasures or equivalent systems which might
reduce system effectiveness or be used in the development of a system
with similar or advanced capabilities.
12. A determination has been made that the Government of Saudi
Arabia can provide substantially the same degree of protection for the
sensitive technology being released as the U.S. Government. This sale
is necessary in furtherance of the U.S. foreign policy and national
security objectives outlined in the Policy Justification.
13. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal
are authorized for release and export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
[FR Doc. 2025-22604 Filed 12-11-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P
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