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Congress Should Label UAVs As Combat Aircraft To Loosen Export Controls, Defense Analyst Says

Congress Should Label UAVs As Combat Aircraft To Loosen Export Controls, Defense Analyst Says
Outdated export restrictions on unmanned aerial vehicles like the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper lessen opportunities for more integrated military operations with allies and partners and open the way for China to fill the gap, says a new paper by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. Photo: General Atomics

The U.S. export of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to allies and partner nations has been restricted for decades by irrational policies and outdated definitions and Congress should rectify the situation by redefining these systems as combat aircraft, which would make it easier for the U.S. to sell them to friendly countries, says a new paper by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. The export restrictions, which are voluntary under the 1987 Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), are limiting opportunities for…

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