The United States’ export control restrictions on unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are hurting its defense industrial base and the time is now for Congress to act to ensure the U.S. aerospace industrial base remains “second to none,” according to an industry CEO.
Northrop Grumman Chief Executive Officer Wes Bush told an audience Friday at the Aero Club of Washington that the passage of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization bill to integrate UASs into civil airspace no later than September 2015 is a good start, but reforming export controls, the system that certifies which aerospace-related systems are suitable to be sold to other nations, is the next key step.
“The three critical stars–legislative, technological and market demand–are now aligned to enable these technologies to contribute to our nation’s economy as they have contributed to its security for so many years,” Bush said. “The legislative momentum achieved through the FAA reauthorization bill must continue with export control reform.”
Bush lauded the Defense Department-State Department “Section 1248” report, saying DoD is promoting “clearly” the best export reform policy: building higher walls around fewer things, or making fewer things more difficult for enemy nations to get. The “Section 1248” report recommended the United States relax export control laws on commercial satellites and subsystems that have become less critical to national security over time (Defense Daily, April 19).
Bush said current export control laws hurt America’s defense industrial base when it comes to UASs because they restrict U.S. companies from selling their technologies abroad. Bush cited a Washington Post article reporting estimated global spending on UASs will reach $94 billion in the coming decade and that several other nations that have little or no export controls preventing them from selling their systems abroad are ramping up their research and development programs.
Bush said successful export control reform will also help the defense industrial base because it will “promote new alliances and, possibly, new markets for American products.” Bush cited two conferences in the United Arab Emirates Northrop Grumman participated in: The Global Aerospace Summit and its own Unmanned Systems Innovation Challenge, both of which promote the aerospace community.
“This kind of international engagement pays dividends in many ways, not just those directly related to business,” Bush said.
The FAA reauthorization bill also mandates the Transportation Secretary work with other government agencies to draft a plan for the integration of UASs into civil airspace as well as requires the FAA to create six UAS test ranges by August of this year and have the operational by February 2013, Bush said.