Nonproliferation: Improvements Needed for Controls on Exports of Cruise Missile and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Technology

Abstract

The growing threat to U.S. national security of cruise missile and UAV proliferation is challenging the tools the United States has traditionally used. Multilateral export control regimes have expanded their lists of controlled technologies that include cruise missile and UAV items, but key countries of concern are not members. U.S. export control authorities find it increasingly difficult to limit or track unlisted dual-use items that can be acquire without an export license. Moreover, a gap in U.S. export control authority enables American companies to export certain dual-use items to recipients that are not associated with missile projects or countries listed in the regulations, even if the exporter knows the items might be used to develop cruise missiles or UAVs. American companies have in fact legally exported dual-use items with no U.S. government review to a New Zealand resident who bought the items to build a cruise missile.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 09, 2004
Accession Number
ADA426236

Entities

People

  • Joseph A. Christoff

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Autonomy
  • Counter WMD
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Biological Weapons
  • Commerce
  • Control Systems
  • Cruise Missiles
  • Department Of Defense
  • Governments
  • Information Exchange
  • International Relations
  • Law
  • National Security
  • United States
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Vehicles
  • Weapons
  • Weapons Of Mass Destruction

Readers

  • Government and Public Administration Law.
  • Industrial Economics
  • Missile Defense Systems.

Technology Areas

  • Autonomy
  • Autonomy - UAVs