As Air Force looks to drone export reforms, focus is on speeding deliveries

摘要

Even though the Air Force has spent the last two years trying to reform its drone export enterprise, particularly working to accelerate transfers, industry insiders say they haven't seen the expected results. Proponents of increased drone sales have long complained the government's strict regulations on exports obstruct timely sales, excluding American companies from a global market dominated by Israel and China. They say the State Department especially inhibits deals. Many contractors were optimistic when the White House called for an expansion of drone exports in the 2018 Conventional Arms Transfer Policy - driving the Air Force, along with the Defense Security Cooperation Agency and the State Department, to begin reforms. The service is updating internal policies, developing a common export configuration of General Atomics' MQ-9 Reaper and enabling greater use of direct commercial sales, which require less government oversight than foreign military sale cases. However, some companies and trade groups remain unsatisfied. Bart Roper, senior vice president at General Atomics, told Inside Defense in an email last week the company has been a major supporter of the 2018 policy and anticipated "a substantial increase in international sales." However, "implementation has been slower than desired," he said.