Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN7970
2003-12-08 16:54:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

COUNTRY TEAM ASSESSMENT FOR JORDANIAN ARMED FORCES

Tags:  MAP 
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081654Z Dec 03
UNCLAS AMMAN 007970

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MAP
SUBJECT: COUNTRY TEAM ASSESSMENT FOR JORDANIAN ARMED FORCES
(JAF) REQUEST FOR A SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS MONITORING
SYSTEM


1 ON 2 APRIL 2003 THE JORDANIAN ARMED FORCES (JAF) SUBMITTED
A LETTER OF REQUEST (LOR) FOR A LETTER OF OFFER AND
ACCEPTANCE (LOA) FOR A SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS MONITORING
SYSTEM WITH THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATIONS:

A. FREQUENCY RANGE OF 3600-4200 MHZ AND 1400-1700 MHZ

B. LOW NOISE AMPLIFIERS

C. SATELLITE TRACKING CONTROLLER

D. VOICE CHANNELS NOT LESS THAN 16, DATA CHANNELS NOT
LESS THAN 8

E. POWER REQUIREMENTS 110-240V AC 45-60HZ

F. MUST MEET INMARSAT STANDARDS OF B,M, MINI M AND
THURAYA


2. THE EMBASSY COUNTRY TEAM RECOMMENDS THAT THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT APPROVES RELEASE OF THE SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
MONITORING SYSTEM TO THE GOJ FOR PROCUREMENT THROUGH THE
FOREIGN MILITARY SALES PROGRAM.


3. THE HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN
THE CONTINUED PEACE OF THE REGION AND MERITS FURTHER U.S.
ASSISTANCE. THE SYSTEMS IN QUESTION WILL ENABLE JORDAN TO
DEFEND ITS BORDERS BETTER, TO DETER POTENTIAL TERRORISTS, AND
TO PREVENT TERRORIST ACTIVITY WITHIN JORDAN'S BORDERS BY
INTERCEPTING SIGNALS. SUCH A TOOL WOULD PREVENT BOTH SMALL
AND LARGE-SCALE TERRORIST ACTIVITY BY TAKING AWAY THE
TERRORIST'S ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH SATELLITE PHONES, A
TECHNOLOGY USED BY KNOWN TERRORIST GROUPS.


4. JORDAN IS A KEY PLAYER IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR AND AS
SUCH JORDAN IS ALREADY SCHEDULED TO RECEIVE 2 OF EACH VERSION
2 AN/PRD MOBILE RADAR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS FROM ANOTHER
GOVERNMENT AGENCY. THE RELEASE OF THE SATELLITE COMMUNICATION
S MONITORING SYSTEM WILL IMPROVE JORDAN'S ABILITY TO COMBAT
AND DETER TERRORISM. THE MORE CAPABLE JORDAN IS IN PROTECTING
AND SECURING ITS BORDERS, THE MORE EFFECTIVE JORDAN'S EFFORTS
WILL BE IN DETERRING AGGRESSION AND IN ENHANCING THE
STABILITY OF OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION.


5. THE JORDANIAN GOVERNMENT CONFIRMED TO THE EMBASSY COUNTRY
TEAM ITS INTENT TO PROVIDE THESE ITEMS WITH THE SAME DEGREE
OF SECURITY AS THE U.S. WOULD PROVIDE. IN THE PAST JORDAN HAS
BEEN A TRUSTWORTHY CUSTODIAN OF SIMILAR SENSITIVE UNITED
STATES GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY AND THE COUNTRY TEAM STRONGLY
BELIEVES THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE.


6. WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE REACTION FROM
ANY REGIONAL STATE, INCLUDING ISRAEL OR SAUDI ARABIA, IN
RESPONSE TO JORDAN'S ACQUISITION OF THE SATELLITE
COMMUNICATIONS MONITORING SYSTEM. THE REGIONAL COUNTRIES
SHARE A MUTUAL INTEREST IN SEEING THAT JORDAN'S MILITARY
MAINTAINS OR INCREASES ITS DEFENSIVE CAPABILITIES.


7. THE PROPOSED ACQUISITION WILL NOT SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE THE
FORCE STRUCTURE OF THE JORDANIAN ARMED FORCES.


8. THE SYSTEMS WOULD BE FUNDED BY FOREIGN MILITARY FINANCING
(FMF) AND WILL HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE JORDANIAN ECONOMY.


9. IF JORDAN IS ALLOWED TO PROCURE THE SYSTEM, TRAINING ON
THE SYSTEM WILL BE REQUIRED. THERE WOULD BE NO ADVERSE
REACTION TO UNITED STATES PERSONNEL CONDUCTING THE TRAINING
IN JORDAN.


10. WE ARE UNAWARE OF ANY ALLEGATIONS OF GROSS VIOLATIONS OF
HUMAN RIGHTS BY THE JORDANIAN ARMED FORCES THAT WOULD
PROHIBIT RELEASE OF THESE ITEMS.


11. POC FOR THIS ACTION IS MAJ W. MARK HUNTHROP, USA, AT
011-962-6-592-0101, EXT 2545 OR WHUNTHROP@SAN.OSD.MIL.
HALE