Export Controls Information on the Decision to Revise High Performance Computer Controls

Abstract

In January 1996, the executive branch revised controls on the export of U.S. manufactured high performance computers (HPC) by raising thresholds of computer performance for which exporters must obtain a license. Subsequently, several unlicensed HPCS were exported to both China and Russia, including 17 computers illegally sent to a Russian nuclear weapons lab. You expressed concerns that U.S. national security interests may have been compromised by such sales and requested that we (1) assess the basis for the executive branch's revision of HPC export controls and (2) identify changes in licensing activities and the implementation of certain U.S. licensing and export enforcement requirements since the revision. You also asked us to determine the current foreign availability of HPCs, particularly for certain countries of national security concern.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1998
Accession Number
ADA353596

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Arms Control
  • Cold War
  • Commerce
  • Computers
  • Congress
  • Department Of Defense
  • Government (Foreign)
  • Governments
  • High Performance Computing
  • International Relations
  • International Security
  • Military Aircraft
  • National Security
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Personal Computers
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

Readers

  • Cybersecurity.
  • Instructional Design and Training Evaluation.
  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation and International Security