Foreign Military Sales
Encyclopedia
The U.S. Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program facilitates sales of U.S. arms, defense equipment, defense services, and military training to foreign governments. The purchaser does not deal directly with the defense contractor; instead, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency
serves as an intermediary, usually handling procurement, logistics and delivery and often providing product support, training, and infrastructure construction (such as hangars, runways, utilities, etc.). The Defense Contract Management Agency
often accepts FMS equipment on behalf of the US government.
FMS is based on countries being authorized to participate, cases as the mechanism to procure services, and a deposit in a US Trust Fund or appropriate credit and approval to fund services.
USAF FMS programs are assigned two-word codename
s beginning with the word PEACE, indicating oversight by USAF Headquarters. The second word in these codenames is often chosen to reflect some facet of the customer, such as MARBLE for Israel or ONYX for Turkey. Codenames appear in all capital letters.
Also, not all countries use this program, a notable one being Canada
and most other Western nations who negotiate directly with the manufacturer.
Current US Air Force FMS cases include military sales to Pakistan, Iraq and Egypt. FMS cases that are in pre-award status (as of 2nd Quarter FY 2011) are India & Saudi Arabia.
Defense Security Cooperation Agency
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency , as part of the United States Department of Defense , provides financial and technical assistance, transfer of defense matériel, training and services to allies, and promotes military-to-military contacts....
serves as an intermediary, usually handling procurement, logistics and delivery and often providing product support, training, and infrastructure construction (such as hangars, runways, utilities, etc.). The Defense Contract Management Agency
Defense Contract Management Agency
The Defense Contract Management Agency is the agency of the United States federal government responsible for performing contract administration services for the Department of Defense and other authorized federal agencies. Its headquarters is at Fort Lee, Va...
often accepts FMS equipment on behalf of the US government.
FMS is based on countries being authorized to participate, cases as the mechanism to procure services, and a deposit in a US Trust Fund or appropriate credit and approval to fund services.
USAF FMS programs are assigned two-word codename
Code name
A code name or cryptonym is a word or name used clandestinely to refer to another name or word. Code names are often used for military purposes, or in espionage...
s beginning with the word PEACE, indicating oversight by USAF Headquarters. The second word in these codenames is often chosen to reflect some facet of the customer, such as MARBLE for Israel or ONYX for Turkey. Codenames appear in all capital letters.
Also, not all countries use this program, a notable one being Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and most other Western nations who negotiate directly with the manufacturer.
Current US Air Force FMS cases include military sales to Pakistan, Iraq and Egypt. FMS cases that are in pre-award status (as of 2nd Quarter FY 2011) are India & Saudi Arabia.
See also
- List of F-16 FMS programs
- United States Foreign Military FinancingUnited States Foreign Military FinancingThe Foreign Military Financing program provides grants and loans to help countries purchase weapons and defense equipment produced in the United States as well as acquiring defense services and military training. FMF funds purchases are made through the Foreign Military Sales program, which...
- United States Agency for International DevelopmentUnited States Agency for International DevelopmentThe United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
External links
- DSCA Foreign Military Sales program page
- AFSAC - The Air Force Security Assistance Center
- Frida BerriganFrida BerriganFrida Berrigan is a peace activist and research associate at the World Policy Institute, specializing in arms trade.She is also a columnist for and Foreign Policy In Focus.She is the daughter of Philip Berrigan of the Catonsville Nine and Liz McAlister....
and William D. Hartung, with Leslie Heffel. "Human Rights Records of Top 25 U.S. Arms Recipients in the Developing World". World Policy InstituteWorld Policy InstituteThe World Policy Institute, a non-partisan policy institute which claims to develop policies that require a progressive ideology. WPI focuses on cooperative policies in order to achieve : an inclusive and sustainable global market economy, engaged global civic participation and effective...
, June 2005. - Frida BerriganFrida BerriganFrida Berrigan is a peace activist and research associate at the World Policy Institute, specializing in arms trade.She is also a columnist for and Foreign Policy In Focus.She is the daughter of Philip Berrigan of the Catonsville Nine and Liz McAlister....
and William D. Hartung, with Leslie Heffel. "U.S. Weapons Sales to 25 Active Conflict Nations". World Policy InstituteWorld Policy InstituteThe World Policy Institute, a non-partisan policy institute which claims to develop policies that require a progressive ideology. WPI focuses on cooperative policies in order to achieve : an inclusive and sustainable global market economy, engaged global civic participation and effective...
, June 2005.