Notice2026-09000
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
May 7, 2026
Issuing agencies
Defense Department
Abstract
The DoW is publishing the unclassified text of an arms sales notification.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 88 (Thursday, May 7, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 88 (Thursday, May 7, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24856-24858]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-09000]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
[Transmittal No. 26-18]
Arms Sales Notification
AGENCY: Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Department of Defense
(DoD).
ACTION: Arms sales notice.
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SUMMARY: The DoW 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#0a7f7865656024706b62786b2469637c4a676b636624676366"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="add8dfc2c2c783d7ccc5dfcc83cec4dbedc0ccc4c183c0c4c1">[email protected]</span></a>, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cfabbcacaee1a1acbde1bdbcbdaca2a8a2bbe1a3a6bcbbe1aca1bce2a2adb78fa2aea6a3e1a2a6a3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="395d4a5a5817575a4b174b4a4b5a545e544d1755504a4d175a574a14545b41795458505517545055">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 36(b) 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 the attached
Transmittal 26-18, Policy Justification, and Sensitivity of Technology.
Dated: May 4, 2026.
Stephanie J. Bost,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
Transmittal No. 26-18
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 the United Kingdom
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment *............... $0
Other................................... $1 billion
-------------------------------
TOTAL................................. $1 billion
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase: Foreign Military Sales case
UK-P-FDL was below congressional notification threshold at $50 million
($0 in MDE) and included non-recurring engineering support; design
integration of U.S. equipment; and submarine combat and weapons systems
support for design and production of next generation, future class of
nuclear-powered attack submarines developed for the Royal Australian
Navy and United Kingdom Royal Navy, and developed as part of the
trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom
(UK), the U.S. (AUKUS); delivery of software and technical publications
for combat and weapon systems, and UK liaison office administrative
support to the purchaser's security assistance foreign
representative(s) at Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters. The
[[Page 24857]]
Government of the UK has requested that the case be amended to include
additional non-major defense equipment. 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:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
None
Non-Major Defense Equipment:
The following non-MDE items will be included: technical assistance
to the design and development of AUKUS-specific vertical deployment
tubes; common weapon launchers; multiple all-up-round canister support
service modules; network input output units; servers and switches and
custom electronics, which are specific components of the submarine
warfare federated tactical system; simulation equipment; engineering
demonstration models; testing and installation equipment; equipment
components; information technology hardware; publications and technical
documentation; software and source code; U.S. industry support;
facility support; personnel training; and embedded U.S. and UK
personnel located in both UK and U.S. facilities to support submarine
design. Other support services included are U.S. Government and
contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; test
and trials support; studies and surveys; other related elements of
engineering services for associated equipment and program support; and
other related elements of logistics and program support.
(iv) Military Department: Navy (UK-P-FDL)
(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: March 20, 2026
* as defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
United Kingdom--Submarine Combat and Weapon Systems, Technical Support,
U.S. and UK Embedded Personnel, and Associated Training
The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) has requested to buy
technical assistance to the design and development of AUKUS-specific
vertical deployment tubes; common weapon launchers; multiple all-up-
round canister support service modules; network input output units;
servers and switches and custom electronics, which are specific
components of the submarine warfare federated tactical system;
simulation equipment; engineering demonstration models; testing and
installation equipment; equipment components; information technology
hardware; publications and technical documentation; software and source
code; U.S. industry support; facility support; personnel training; and
embedded U.S. and UK personnel located in both UK and U.S. facilities
to support submarine design. Other support services included are U.S.
Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support
services; test and trials support; studies and surveys; other related
elements of engineering services for associated equipment and program
support; and other related elements of logistics and program support
that will all be added to a previously implemented case whose value was
under the congressional notification threshold. The original Foreign
Military Sales case, valued at $50 million, included the following non-
MDE items: non-recurring engineering support; design integration of
U.S. equipment; submarine combat and weapons systems support for design
and production of next generation, future class of nuclear-powered
attack submarines developed for the Royal Australian Navy and United
Kingdom Royal Navy, and developed as part of the trilateral security
partnership between Australia, UK, and the U.S. (AUKUS); delivery of
software and technical publications for combat and weapon systems, and
UK liaison office administrative support to the purchaser's security
assistance foreign representative(s) at Naval Sea Systems Command
Headquarters. The estimated total cost is $1 billion.
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 an important force for political stability and
economic progress in Europe.
The proposed sale will improve the UK's capability to meet current
and future threats by providing an effective combatant deterrent
capability to protect maritime interests and infrastructure. This
acquisition will enhance stability and maritime security in the
northwestern region of Europe and contribute to the security and
strategic objectives of NATO and the United States. The UK 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 Huntington Ingalls Industries,
located in Newport News, VA; General Dynamics Electric Boat, located in
Groton, CT; General Dynamics Mission Systems, located in Fairfax, VA;
Progeny Systems, located in Manassas, VA; Lockheed Martin, located in
Bethesda, MD; and Systems Planning and Analysis, located in Alexandria,
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 require the assignment of
approximately three hundred (300) additional U.S. Government and
contractor representatives to the UK for a duration of approximately
five (5) years to support in-person training, equipment
familiarization, and on-site engineering and maintenance.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a
result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 26-18
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 United States industry support, facility support, submarine
combat and weapons systems hardware, training and embedded U.S.
civilian, military and contractor personnel located at United Kingdom
(UK) facilities to support nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN)
Australia, the UK, and the United States (AUKUS) design, non-recurring
engineering services collectively provisions for the trilateral AUKUS
Pillar I program and the Government of the UK's effort to design and
deliver the next generation UK attack submarine, SSN-AUKUS. This next
generation attack submarine will provide the UK with an effective
deterrent capability to protect maritime interests and infrastructure.
Technical data and documentation for combat and weapons systems
include:
Common Weapons Launcher (CWL) is a system that provides electrical
and logical interfaces to, and controls the launch of, payloads
launched from
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several classes of submarines through the ships' torpedo tubes,
vertical launch (missile/payload) tubes, and external countermeasure
launch modules.
The Vertical Deployment Tube (VDT) mechanical assembly is the
primary payload tube and ship structure that maintains watertight
integrity and can store a removable payload module. The components of
the VDT mechanical assembly include the outer hatch system, access
doors internal to the ship, and numerous ship system interfaces to
support mission specific removable Payload Modules. More specifically,
components like the Multiple All-up-round Canister (MAC) support
service module, which is a removable assembly located within the
submarine's payload tube whose function is to provide ship services to
the MAC and ultimately, the Tomahawk cruise missile.
The Network Input Output Unit (NIOU) is a part of the Payload Tube
Control System and provides the interface between the Payload Tube
Control Panel (PTCP) and payload tube system, ship systems (hydraulic
system, P/V system, etc.), and the program manager provided equipment.
NIOU receives discrete and analog sensor data, converts the sensor data
to digital data, and sends the data to the PTCP controllers.
Submarine Warfare Federated Tactical System servers provide
powerful specialized computing, storage, and input/output processing
solutions to run multiple combat and control systems tactical
applications and manage data across multiple submarine sensors,
payloads, and communications subsystems.
This proposed sale will provide the UK with Tomahawk missile design
information required to support the integration of Tomahawk into a
vertical launch configuration for SSN-AUKUS, which will be accomplished
via the SSN-AUKUS vertical deployment tubes and the U.S. sourced MAC.
2. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is TOP SECRET/
SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED IINFORMATION.
3. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain 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.
4. A determination has been made that the UK can provide
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.
5. All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal
have been authorized for release and export to the Government of the
UK.
[FR Doc. 2026-09000 Filed 5-6-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P
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