Insights

Sources

Every document cited in the Insights pieces, with the date each was last checked.

Statute and regulation are quoted from the Office of the Law Revision Counsel and the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Programme procedure is quoted from the Security Assistance Management Manual, DSCA 5105.38-M, by chapter and section. Figures come from the Department of State and from DSCA. Each piece also links every statement to its source in the body text.

1. What Foreign Military Sales is and who takes part

Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2751, 2753, 2761, 2762 and 2794. Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current edition. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title22-section2751&num=0&edition=prelim. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 1. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-1. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 4. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-4. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 5. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-5. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Foreign Military Sales. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, undated. https://www.dsca.mil/Programs/Defense-Trade-and-Arms-Transfers/Foreign-Military-Sales. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Foreign Military Sales FAQ. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, undated. https://www.dsca.mil/Resources/Foreign-Military-Sales-FAQ. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Fiscal Year 2025 U.S. Arms Transfers and Defense Trade. Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, 16 March 2026. https://www.state.gov/releases/bureau-of-political-military-affairs/2026/03/fiscal-year-2025-u-s-arms-transfers-and-defense-trade. Accessed 7 September 2026.

2. Foreign Military Sales or Direct Commercial Sales

Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2778. Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current edition. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title22-section2778&num=0&edition=prelim. Accessed 7 September 2026.
International Traffic in Arms Regulations, 22 CFR 120.1. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, as amended 30 August 2026. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/chapter-I/subchapter-M/part-120/subpart-A/section-120.1. Accessed 7 September 2026.
International Traffic in Arms Regulations, 22 CFR 123.1. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, as amended 10 August 2026. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-22/chapter-I/subchapter-M/part-123/section-123.1. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 2. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-2. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 4. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-4. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 6. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-6. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual glossary, Direct Commercial Sale. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, undated. https://samm.dsca.mil/glossary/direct-commercial-sale. Accessed 7 September 2026.
DFARS Subpart 225.73, Acquisitions for Foreign Military Sales. Acquisition.gov, change 7 May 2026. https://www.acquisition.gov/dfars/subpart-225.73-acquisitions-foreign-military-sales. Accessed 7 September 2026.

3. How an FMS case is built, from request to agreement

Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 5. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-5. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 6. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-6. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2751 and following. Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current edition. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title22-section2751&num=0&edition=prelim. Accessed 7 September 2026.

4. Congressional notification of arms sales under 36(b)

Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2776. Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current edition. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title22-section2776&num=0&edition=prelim. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2794. Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current edition. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title22-section2794&num=0&edition=prelim. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 5. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-5. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Major Arms Sales. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, notice dated to Executive Order of 6 February 2026. https://www.dsca.mil/press-media/major-arms-sales. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, F-15 Sustainment. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, 3 February 2026. https://www.dsca.mil/press-media/major-arms-sales/article-display/article/4396586/kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-f-15-sustainment. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Fiscal Year 2025 U.S. Arms Transfers and Defense Trade. Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, 16 March 2026. https://www.state.gov/releases/bureau-of-political-military-affairs/2026/03/fiscal-year-2025-u-s-arms-transfers-and-defense-trade. Accessed 7 September 2026.

5. How a US company supplies a Foreign Military Sale

DFARS Subpart 225.73, Acquisitions for Foreign Military Sales. Acquisition.gov, change 7 May 2026. https://www.acquisition.gov/dfars/subpart-225.73-acquisitions-foreign-military-sales. Accessed 7 September 2026.
FAR 6.302-4, International agreement. Acquisition.gov, current. https://www.acquisition.gov/far/6.302-4. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, F-15 Sustainment. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, 3 February 2026. https://www.dsca.mil/press-media/major-arms-sales/article-display/article/4396586/kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-f-15-sustainment. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 1. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-1. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 2. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-2. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 4. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-4. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 6. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-6. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 9. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-9. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Table C9.T4, Table of Charges. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/table/table-c9t4. Accessed 7 September 2026.

Foreign Military Financing

1. What Foreign Military Financing is and who runs it

Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2763. Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current edition. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title22-section2763&num=0&edition=prelim. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 9. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-9. Accessed 7 September 2026.

2. Grant financing, loans and guaranties

Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2763. Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current edition. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title22-section2763&num=0&edition=prelim. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2764. Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current edition. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title22-section2764&num=0&edition=prelim. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024. Government Publishing Office, Public Law 118-47, 23 March 2024. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-118publ47/html/PLAW-118publ47.htm. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 9. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-9. Accessed 7 September 2026.

3. Where Foreign Military Financing may be spent

Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2763. Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current edition. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title22-section2763&num=0&edition=prelim. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 9. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-9. Accessed 7 September 2026.

4. What non-repayable funding changes on a case

Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2761. Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current edition. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title22-section2761&num=0&edition=prelim. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 9. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-9. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Table C9.T4, Table of Charges. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/table/table-c9t4. Accessed 7 September 2026.
DFARS Subpart 225.73, Acquisitions for Foreign Military Sales. Acquisition.gov, change 7 May 2026. https://www.acquisition.gov/dfars/subpart-225.73-acquisitions-foreign-military-sales. Accessed 7 September 2026.

5. How Foreign Military Financing is appropriated and notified

Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024. Government Publishing Office, Public Law 118-47, 23 March 2024. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-118publ47/html/PLAW-118publ47.htm. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Security Assistance Management Manual, Chapter 9. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA 5105.38-M. https://samm.dsca.mil/chapter/chapter-9. Accessed 7 September 2026.
Fiscal Year 2025 U.S. Arms Transfers and Defense Trade. Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, 16 March 2026. https://www.state.gov/releases/bureau-of-political-military-affairs/2026/03/fiscal-year-2025-u-s-arms-transfers-and-defense-trade. Accessed 7 September 2026.