Book Description

Although one of the goals of the U.S. security assistance program is to strengthen the national security of friendly nations, this program has adopted and continues to adopt policies that impact negatively on its customers. This thesis focuses on the largest program element of the overall security assistance program, Foreign Military Sales (FMS), which is conducted under the authority of the Arms Export Control Act of 1976. After explaining the U.S. security assistance program's evolution and policies, the FMS process, and the follow-on support, this thesis addresses three areas that affected the recipient procurement planning; the FMS contract clauses, the pricing, and financing. Second, it addresses the FMS case implementation process that affected the fielding of defense material to recipient's units. Finally, the effect on the recipient weapon system readiness is addressed. Readiness is addressed by first examining the reliability of what is considered by the Department of Defense (DoD) to be the most effective means, the Cooperative Support Supply Arrangement (CLSSA), to replenish the customers' in-country stock of spare and repair parts. Second, as a result of U.S. policy of not considering the ammunition and its components in the CLSSA program, the problems that are facing the customers in regard to the procurements of ammunition through the normal channels are addressed.