Foreign Military Sales: Air Force Does Not Use Controls to Prevent Spare Parts Containing Sensitive Military Technology from Being Released to Foreign
Abstract
The Air Force does not currently have any internal controls in place to prevent the release of spare parts containing sensitive military technology that are ordered under blanket orders and that the Air Force does not want to release to foreign countries ineligible to receive the parts. This has resulted in the inappropriate release of such parts. During our work, we identified an instance that occurred in 1997 in which a requisition for a C-130 refueling kit, which was to be used on U.S. aircraft only, was not reviewed by anyone because there were no controls in place to require that it be reviewed before it was shipped to a foreign country. When we brought this situation to the attention of Air Force Security Assistance Center officials, they said that the Air Force does not have clear guidance for identifying parts containing sensitive military technology that the Air Force does not want shipped to some foreign countries. They acknowledged that releases of similar spare parts to foreign countries ineligible to receive them had occurred and that such releases were a problem. They also acknowledged that as a result of our work the Air Force Audit Agency will review its controls for selling military technology to foreign countries. The Air Force uses its Security Assistance Management Information System to verify in part that countries are eligible to receive classified or controlled parts. However, this control could also be used to identify for foreign military sales case managers review spare parts that contain sensitive military technology and that the Air Force does not want to release to foreign countries ineligible to receive them.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 10, 2003
- Accession Number
- AD1152381
Entities
People
- William M. Solis
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office