The US State Department released a reinterpreted export control policy on Monday, September 15th, classifying advanced military drones such as the MQ-9 Reaper from “missile systems” to “military aircraft” similar to the F-16 fighter jet, in order to facilitate drone exports.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has approved this change, enabling the US to bypass the 1987 Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) agreement signed by 35 countries and allowing countries that previously had difficulty purchasing top-tier US drones, such as the UAE and Eastern European countries, to make acquisitions.
This policy change opens up the possibility for the US to sell over 100 MQ-9 drones to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia expressed purchase demands in the spring of this year, and it is anticipated that these drones may be included in the US’s $142 billion military sales plan announced in May.
Apart from Saudi Arabia, countries in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region have also shown interest in acquiring US drones.
The new policy permits major US drone manufacturers like General Atomics, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, and Anduril Industries to sell their products internationally through “foreign military sales” channels.
The objective of the MTCR agreement was to restrict the sale of long-range missiles. However, in later years, military drones, due to their long-range flight capabilities and weapon-carrying capacity, have also come under the control of this agreement.
The US stated that the reinterpretation of this policy aims to enhance its competitiveness in the global drone market. US drone manufacturers face stiff competition overseas, especially from rivals in China, Turkey, and Israel, whose products are often subject to fewer restrictions or are not restricted at all.
(Reference: Reuters)