The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced yesterday in a press release that it had conducted sales of $34.2 billion for Fiscal Year 2014.
Government-to-government Foreign Military Sales (FMS) totaled $31.2 billion, while sales executed using non-FMS cases managed under various security cooperation authorities totaled $3.0 billion for Fiscal Year 2014. FMS sales between FY 06 and FY 13 have ranged between approximately $16 billion and $30 billion per year, with the notable exception of FY 12, when FMS totaled around $60 billion. That year Saudi Arabia bought more than $29 billion of F-15 Eagles, along with associated spare parts and services.
“FMS agreements result in more capable partners who are able to take on missions that might otherwise fall to U.S. forces.”
“FMS, like all Security Cooperation programs, is about relationship building and achieving our national security and foreign policy objectives,” said DSCA Director Vice Adm. Joseph W. Rixey. The FMS program facilitates sales of U.S. arms, defense equipment, defense services, and military training to foreign governments.
An Iraqi tank crew fires the main gun of an M1A1 Abrams tank at the Besmaya Range Complex, Iraq, in 2009. Among the approved FMS cases for FY 14 was a sale of ammunition and spare parts for the main battle tanks. DOD photo
“FMS agreements result in more capable partners who are able to take on missions that might otherwise fall to U.S. forces. In the broader foreign policy realm, FMS often serves as the basis for long-term relationships between partner countries and the United States. In a relationship context, every single sale is important to us,” continued Rixey.
The FMS program is a form of security assistance authorized by the Arms Export Control Act under the direction of the Secretary of State through which the United States may sell defense articles and services to foreign countries and international organizations. The U.S. government enters into bi-lateral government-to-government agreements with partner nations or international organizations under FMS to procure defense articles and services on their behalf. Some 223 countries and international organizations today use the FMS system to procure defense articles and services.
It is among several programs enabled by DSCA, the lead agency for the Department of Defense in the execution of Security Cooperation programs, which contribute to the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States.