AIA | Export Control Modernization Resource Center

Who to Contact

For additional information, contact:

Remy Nathan
Assistant Vice President, International Affairs
703-358-1072

Joseph Lai
Manager, International Affairs
703-358-1070

Export Controls: The Need For A Modernized System

Export controls are the means by which the United States government manages the sale or transfer of sensitive goods and technology, services and know-how to non-U.S. citizens in a manner consistent with the nation's security interests, foreign policy goals and international obligations.

The members of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) have long supported a rigorous export control system that keeps our most advanced technologies out of the hands of our adversaries and rivals. At the same time, it is imperative that this system also operates in a predictable, efficient and transparent manner to facilitate technology trade and cooperation in the interests of U.S. national and economic security.

In recent years, the system's inadequacies have compromised the aerospace industry's ability to support the nation's security and economic interests, increased costs and risk in military programs and frustrated our military and commercial relationships with our allies and partners.

In May 2006, at the request of the AIA Executive Committee, the AIA International Council began the process of developing a series of process-improvement recommendations for the licensing of defense exports that were possible under existing statutes. In the months that followed, AIA encountered a number of other industry associations supportive of the AIA approach to addressing this problem.

AIA and a number of these partner associations developed a companion set of recommendations to improve licensing for so-called “dual-use” (civil and military use) exports, and launched the Coalition for Security and Competitiveness in March 2007. On January 22, 2008, the White House issued a series of export control modernization directives that borrowed from and expanded upon the Coalition's recommendations.

Export control modernization will continue to be a top priority for the Aerospace Industries Association as we build on our recent successes to pursue greater system improvements in the interests of America's warfighters, allies, taxpayers and aerospace workers.