In formal testimony submitted today to the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) called for urgent reform of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process and outdated export control regimes.

As uncrewed and autonomous systems reshape the future of warfare and deterrence, the current export framework is struggling to keep pace. Delays and outdated restrictions are weakening defense cooperation and leaving strategic gaps that competitors like the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are eager to exploit with subsidized, unsecured alternatives.

The hearing, led by SASC Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS), marks a timely review of the Defense Department’s role in international weapons cooperation. Lawmakers from both parties made clear that bureaucratic delays are weakening U.S. partnerships and enabling strategic competitors like the PRC to fill capability gaps with subsidized, unsecured technologies.

AUVSI’s testimony provided a detailed roadmap to modernize and streamline the FMS and export authorization process, including

• Clarifying International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) exemptions to align with AUKUS Pillar II and FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) priorities
• Updating the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) to reflect modern UAS capabilities
• Exempting routine allied exercises from licensing requirements
• Accelerating timelines for export license adjudication, with enforceable deadlines
• Funding FMS digitalization and supply chain resilience through the Office of Strategic Capital

In addition to policy reforms, the testimony raises alarm over escalating Chinese trade restrictions targeting U.S. drone manufacturers and component suppliers. With access to critical technologies increasingly constrained, AUVSI urges Congress to expand domestic production of autonomy-critical components, including sensors, AI chips, and rare earth materials, through the Defense Production Act and related DoD initiatives.

AUVSI will continue to work with Congress, the Department of Defense, and international partners to ensure U.S. leadership in uncrewed systems and autonomy remains strong, resilient, and secure.