TOMAHAWK RELEASABILITY - SPAIN COUNTRY TEAM

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 002803 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2014 TAGS: MASS MARR SP SUBJECT: TOMAHAWK RELEASABILITY - SPAIN COUNTRY TEAM ASSESSMENT Classified By: Political Counselor Kathleen M. Fitzpatrick for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. Confidential - entire text. ¶2. (SBU) The following is Mission Spain Country Team's assessment on releasability of the Tomahawk System to the Spanish Navy. ¶3. (C) In recent years the Spanish armed forces have significantly contributed to international peace, stability and the Global War on Terror within a multinational framework. Over the past year, Spain has deployed nearly 4,000 forces in Iraq, NATO-led forces in Bosnia and Kosovo, Operation Enduring Freedom, and ISAF in Afghanistan. The new socialist government pulled Spanish forces from Iraq, but the GOS has also recently announced it will increase its presence in Afghanistan from some 130 service members to between 940 and 1,040 by September 2004. Spanish Navy policy has matured to the point that power projection and protection has become the mainstay of its required naval capabilities. The Spanish Navy plans to accomplish this primarily via surface combatants utilizing advanced weapons systems that offer a land-attack capability. Specifically, the SDR states, "The transformation of the navy involves a re-orientation of its fleet away from its oceanic and anti-submarine focus. It must become a force primarily capable of power projection in littoral and coastal waters, reaching all the way into the interior as well." To achieve this land-strike capability, the Spanish Navy has expressed its desire to acquire the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile, to be carried on the F-100 class AEGIS frigate. ¶4. (C) The Spanish Navy has demonstrated a commitment to U.S.-derived acquisitions for its complex combat systems. The success of the F-100/AEGIS program, and the commitment of the Spanish Navy to a U.S. solution in that program has strengthened the Spain-U.S. military-military relationship and allowed for greater interoperability between U.S. and Spanish combat systems and platforms. This interoperability was demonstrated in July 2003 with the success of the first-ever combined (U.S. and foreign navy) Combat System Ship Qualification Trial, conducted with the Spanish F-101 and USS Mason. Additionally, the U.S. and Spanish navies are currently coordinating a plan to deploy the F-101 with the Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group. ¶5. (C) The release of the Tomahawk to Spain would serve to strengthen the U.S.-Spain military-military relationship by improving interoperability and would enhance navy-navy cooperation already established through the F-100 program. Release would also dissuade Spain from looking elsewhere, such as to France, to satisfy its desire for advanced weapons systems. Although Spain's new socialist government has a more Euro-centric focus than the previous government, this Foreign Military Sales case, if approved, would outlast the current government and probably several others after that. The Spanish Navy has the ability to safeguard Tomahawk technology. Training, operation, maintenance and follow-on support, in addition to end-use monitoring and compliance verifications would all be conducted under FMS guidelines. Spain has an established, proven record as a reliable FMS customer. No human rights issues are related to this technology. ¶6. (C) Embassy anticipates Morocco may initially react negatively to the release of Tomahawk to Spain but would not raise serious objections. Relations between Spain and Morocco are warming somewhat, and Morocco would likely accept U.S. assurances that the weapon is being released to Spain primarily to enhance U.S.-Spain military cooperation. MANZANARES