The State Department approved a potential military sale to Chile worth about $635 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said July 23. The sale includes equipment and services to modernize Chile’s F-16s, including “joint helmet-mounted cueing systems,” “general purpose bomb bodies” and radios, the notice said. The principal contractor is Lockheed Martin.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls on July 23 extended a measure to “allow continued telework operations” during the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure, first announced in April (see 2004240017), suspended an International Traffic in Arms Regulations requirement to allow employees involved in ITAR-related activities to work remotely. The measure, which was to expire July 31, will be extended to Dec. 31, the agency said.
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs concluded interagency reviews of two final rules from the Bureau of Industry and Security. On July 16, OIRA completed review of a rule to suspend license exceptions for Hong Kong. BIS announced the license suspensions last month along with a guidance and savings clause (see 2006300050). OIRA received the rule July 10. On July 17, OIRA completed review of a rule to implement export control changes agreed to during the 2018 Wassenaar Arrangement. The rule will also make revisions related to national security controls. OIRA received the rule May 20.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls will amend the International Traffic in Arms Regulations to reflect recent changes made by the United Nations to its Central African Republic arms embargo (see 2007200005 and 1909170054), a notice released July 21 said. The change, effective July 22, allows for more exemptions for certain exports to the region. DDTC also specified that “no broker … may engage in” CAR-related brokering activities subject to the ITAR without agency approval. The notice also makes two technical edits to ITAR language.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls notified industry of a newly added category in the agency’s DS-6004 reexport/retransfer application, a notice issued July 20 said. DDTC said it added an “'other' category” to Block 4” of the application, which should be selected by companies submitting general correspondence requests related to mergers and acquisitions, entity name or address changes, registration code changes, U.S. persons providing defense services abroad, end-use or end-user change requests; and amendments to existing general correspondence approvals.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is seeking comments on an information collection related to letters of attestation for exports of controlled medical exports, a notice in the Federal Register said. Exporters must support these letters to certify that they qualify for one of FEMA’s exemptions for exports of personal protective equipment before their shipment can be approved (see 2004200019 and 2004210022). Comments are due Sept. 15.
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. recently opened investigations into “dozens” of completed deals involving Chinese investments that were not officially notified to CFIUS, a July 15 report from The Capitol Forum said. The deals -- which mostly took place within the past five years -- involved Chinese investments in U.S. technology, heavy industry and entertainment companies, the report said. Since May, CFIUS has “substantially” increased scrutiny of non-notified deals, the report said. The Treasury Department did not comment. Industry has seen a notable increase in CFIUS scrutiny on transactions involving medical supplies and sensitive technologies, especially those associated with Chinese investors (see 2005290027). CFIUS is also closely monitoring Chinese investors trying to take advantage of companies struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic (see 2006230057).
The State Department approved a potential military sale to South Korea worth about $250 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said July 10. The sale includes items and services to “extend follow-on support” for its “Peace Krypton reconnaissance aircraft.” The principal contractor is Lockheed Martin.
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs began an interagency review for a final Bureau of Industry and Security rule to suspend license exceptions for Hong Kong. OIRA received the rule July 10. BIS announced last month it was suspending license exceptions for shipments to the region and issued a guidance and a savings clause for exports affected by the move (see 2006300050).
The State Department approved potential military sales to four countries, ranging from $33 million to $23 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said July 9. Under the proposed sales, Belgium would get 29 “All Up Round MK 54 LWT Mod 0” and related equipment, worth about $33.3 million, DSCA said. Raytheon is the prime contractor. Another sale includes a $130 million purchase by Germany for 64 “MK 54 All Up Round Lightweight torpedoes” and 10 conversion kits, the DSCA said. The principal contractor is also Raytheon. The potential $23.11 billion sale to Japan includes 105 “F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft” and related equipment, the agency said. The prime contractors are Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and Pratt & Whitney. The fourth potential sale includes the recertification of “Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States for $620 million, DSCA said. Lockheed Martin is the principal contractor.