Arms trade

How would reforming conventional arms transfer policy bolster national security?

Last year was a strong one for the U.S. aerospace and defense industry, generating $865 billion in economic output and accounting for nearly 2 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. But reforming the conventional arms transfer, or CAT, policy could do even more for defense companies that bemoan the current arms transfer bureaucracy, sometimes criticized as sluggish and ineffective.

The overall security cooperation enterprise that reviews and approves all defense exports is comprised of various agencies in the departments of State, Commerce and Defense. The enterprise is understaffed and organized in a way that can make the approval process inefficient and redundant, which impedes the ability of the U.S. to engage with allies and partners. In April, the Trump administration issued a national security presidential memorandum, adjusting the arms transfer rules and priorities and requesting an implementation plan for the changes within 60 days.