Arms Sales Notification: United Arab Emirates - F-16 Upgrades (Transmittal No. 26-46)
Summary
The Department of Defense published a notice (Transmittal No. 26-46, 91 FR 19118) regarding a proposed issuance of a letter of offer to the United Arab Emirates for F-16 aircraft upgrades pursuant to Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act. The notification includes a policy justification for the proposed sale. This is a routine congressional notification requirement for foreign military sales above certain thresholds.
What changed
The Defense Department published a notice of a proposed foreign military sale to the United Arab Emirates for F-16 aircraft upgrades. This notification fulfills statutory requirements under Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, which requires congressional notification before certain arms sales can proceed.
For aerospace and defense manufacturers and exporters, this notice signals an active foreign military sales case in the pipeline. Interested parties should monitor the congressional review period and any subsequent implementation of the sale.
What to do next
- Monitor for updates on congressional review period
- Review policy justification for proposed sale
Archived snapshot
Apr 14, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
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Notice
Arms Sales Notification
A Notice by the Defense Department on 04/14/2026
- 1.
1.
Document Details Published Content - Document Details Agencies Department of Defense Office of the Secretary Agency/Docket Number Transmittal No. 26-46 Document Citation 91 FR 19118 Document Number 2026-07240 Document Type Notice Pages 19118-19119
(2 pages) Publication Date 04/14/2026 Published Content - Document DetailsPDF Official Content
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Document Details Published Content - Document Details Agencies Department of Defense Office of the Secretary Agency/Docket Number Transmittal No. 26-46 Document Citation 91 FR 19118 Document Number 2026-07240 Document Type Notice Pages 19118-19119
(2 pages) Publication Date 04/14/2026 Published Content - Document DetailsTable of Contents Enhanced Content - Table of Contents This table of contents is a navigational tool, processed from the
headings within the legal text of Federal Register documents.
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has no substantive legal effect.- AGENCY:
- ACTION:
- SUMMARY:
- FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
- SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
- Transmittal No. RSAT 26-46
- Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended
- POLICY JUSTIFICATION
- United Arab Emirates—F-16 Upgrades
- Transmittal No. 26-46
- Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act
- Annex
- Item No. vii Enhanced Content - Table of Contents
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Department of Defense
Office of the Secretary
- [Transmittal No. 26-46]
AGENCY:
Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Department of Defense (DoD).
ACTION:
Arms sales notice.
SUMMARY:
The DoD is publishing the unclassified text of an arms sales notification.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Urooj Zahra at (703) 695-6233, urooj.zahra.civ@mail.mil, or dsca.ncr.rsrcmgmt.list.cns-mbx@mail.mil.
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 26-46, Policy Justification, and Sensitivity of Technology.
Dated: April 9, 2026.
Stephanie J. Bost,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
Transmittal No. RSAT 26-46
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 Arab Emirates
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
| Major Defense Equipment* | $361 million |
| Other | $283 million |
| TOTAL | $644 million |
Funding Source: National Funds
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Three (3) GBU-39/B inert practice bombs
One thousand five hundred (1,500) GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs Increment I
Nine hundred (900) KMU-556 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance sets
Three hundred (300) KMU-557 JDAM guidance sets
Non-MDE:
The following non-MDE items will also be included: GBU-39 tactical training rounds; FMU-139 fuze systems; DSU-42 and DSU-40 laser illuminated target detectors; ground support system for Link 16; AN/PYQ-10 Simple Key Loaders; KG-250 Link Encryptors; precision navigation; Joint Mission Planning System with unique planning components and software; aircraft maintenance support equipment; spare and repair parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return support; weapons and weapons support equipment; test equipment; training aids, devices, and spare parts; classified and unclassified software and software support; classified and unclassified publications and technical documentation; personnel training and training equipment; transportation support; aerial refueling; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support.
(iv) Military Department: Air Force (AE-D-QAQ; AE-D-YAH); Navy (AE-P-LAQ)
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: AE-D-SAA; AE-D-AAD; AE-D-AAF; AE-D-QAA; AE-D-QAJ; AE-D-YAC; AE-D-YAF; AE-D-YAB
(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 19, 2026
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
United Arab Emirates—F-16 Upgrades
The Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has requested to buy three (3) GBU-39/B inert practice bombs; one thousand five hundred (1,500) GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs Increment I; nine hundred (900) KMU-556 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance sets; and three hundred (300) KMU-557 JDAM guidance sets. The following non-major defense equipment items will also be included: GBU-39 tactical training rounds; FMU-139 fuze systems; DSU-42 and DSU-40 laser illuminated target detectors; ground support system for Link 16; AN/PYQ-10 Simple Key Loaders; KG-250 Link Encryptors; precision navigation; Joint Mission Planning System with unique planning components and software; aircraft maintenance support equipment; spare and repair parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return support; weapons and weapons support equipment; test equipment; training aids, devices, and spare parts; classified and unclassified software and software support; classified and unclassified publications and technical documentation; personnel training and training equipment; transportation support; aerial refueling; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $644 million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major defense partner. The UAE is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.
The proposed sale will improve the UAE' ability to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity to meet its national defense requirements. The UAE will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. ( printed page 19119)
The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin, located in Greenville, SC. 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 not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to UAE.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.
Transmittal No. 26-46
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:
The GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb Increment I (SDB-I) all-up-round is a 250-lb Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) aided small autonomous, day or night, adverse weather, conventional, air-to-ground precision glide weapon able to strike fixed and stationary relocatable non-hardened targets from standoff ranges. The SDB system employs a smart carriage capable of carrying four 250-lb class guided air-to-surface munitions. They are capable of destroying high-priority fixed and stationary targets from Air Force fighters and bombers in internal bays or on external hard-points. The SDB increases aircraft loadout, decreases the logistical footprint, decreases collateral damage, and improves aircraft sortie generation times. This potential sale includes GBU-39/B inert practice bombs, and GBU-39/B inert tactical training rounds.
The Joint Direct-Attack Munition (JDAM) consist of a bomb body paired with a warhead specific tail kit containing an GPS/INS guidance capability that converts unguided free-fall bombs into accurate, adverse weather “smart” munitions. The JDAM weapon can be delivered from modest standoff ranges at high or low altitudes against a variety of land and surface targets during the day or night. The JDAM can receive target coordinates via preplanned mission data from the delivery aircraft, by onboard aircraft sensors (i.e., forward-looking-infrared, radar, etc.) during captive carry, or from a third-party source via manual or automated aircrew cockpit entry.
The AN/APQ-10 Simple Key Loader is a handheld fill device for securely receiving, storing, and transferring data between cryptographic and communications equipment.
The KG-250 are high-security, network encryptor.
The Joint Mission Planning System is a multi-platform personal computer-based mission planning system.
The highest level of classification of defense articles, components, and services included in this potential sale is SECRET.
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.
A determination has been made that the United Arab Emirates 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.
All defense articles and services listed in this transmittal have been authorized for release and export to the Government of the United Arab Emirates.
[FR Doc. 2026-07240 Filed 4-13-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P
Published Document: 2026-07240 (91 FR 19118)
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