A new Defence Trade Cooperation Treaty brokered by the USA and the UK last June has been passed to legislators in both countries for ratification, with Washington-based sources optimistic of approving the document before President George Bush leaves office late next year.
While this timetable would represent significantly slower progress than an original ratification target of six months, the agreement would streamline the bilateral export licence approvals process by establishing a "community of government agencies and defence and security companies," says a US Department of State official.
The UK has made more than 13,000 individual licence applications within the last two years, and the official says "over 99.9% have been approved". Considered on a case-by-case basis, each request currently takes between 45 and 60 days to process.
"It is in our mutual interest to take bold action to support joint military and counter-terrorism operations, and to speed US-UK research and development, production and support of next-generation technology," says the official. "The treaty will open exports of most classified defence goods and services, and technology will be permitted to move freely through the approved community without the need for government approvals or export licences. There will be substantial savings in time and effort."
Identified technologies include missile defence systems, battlefield communications equipment and maritime and airborne radars, potentially including the dual-mode sensor integrated with the UK's Raytheon Systems Sentinel R1 airborne stand-off radar aircraft. "As with any treaty there will be exemptions, but we think those will be small and clearly identifiable," says the official. The treaty is, however, unlikely to have a significant impact on technology transfer related to the UK's purchase of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, as many of the required approvals have already been secured.
Initial briefings made to officials within the US Congress have resulted in a "generally positive response," says the official. "We are reasonably optimistic that we can have this treaty acted on during this administration, giving us all of next year for Senate to act. But we still have a lot more work to do."
Australia - which along with the UK accounts for more than one-third of all defence article licence requests made to the USA - has also entered into a similar defence treaty process with Washington, but the Department of State says: "At the moment those are the only two treaties that we are contemplating."
Source: Flight International
