Transportation and Delivery · 5 of 5
Most shipments move on codes and labels. Some require a document of their own. "A Transportation Plan is required for each Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) containing defense articles that are Classified (CONFIDENTIAL and SECRET), Sensitive (including Controlled Cryptographic Items (CCI), or Arms, Ammunition, & Explosives (AA&E) (Security Risk Categories (SRC) I - IV) and in which an international transfer occurs" (SAMM C7.13.1).
Two elements have to be present together. The cargo must fall into one of those classes, and the movement must cross a border. A sensitive item moving only inside the United States does not trigger the requirement.
The plan runs to the end of the journey. It covers all movement including receipt at the final destination by the designated government representative, or by another representative acting for that person (SAMM C7.13.1). One class of material has no options at all: "TOP SECRET materiel must always be transferred via government courier."
The plan is drafted on the American side and agreed on both. It is developed by the implementing agency preparing the case document, in coordination with the purchaser (SAMM C7.13.2).
Two approvals then have to be in hand before anything moves. The plan is submitted to and approved by the applicable security authority, and accepted by the purchaser in writing, prior to movement of the materiel (SAMM C7.13.2).
Where equipment will come back for repair, the plan has to say so in advance. It must address all aspects of the return of items, including the functions each side performs and the notification requirements (SAMM C7.13.2). The manual describes the result as a live document: "Transportation Plans are living documents that must be continually updated."
For classified content, the review is a disclosure decision. The implementing agency ensures its designated disclosure authority approves or disapproves the plan, whatever the location of the custody transfers (SAMM C7.13.3).
Industry involvement adds a second reviewer. Where a freight forwarder or commercial carrier is involved in transferring classified materiel, or where a consignment starts at a cleared contractor facility, the plan goes to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency. That agency verifies the clearance of forwarders and of any industry appointed courier or escort (SAMM C7.13.3.1).
The carrier itself is constrained. The manual limits international transfer of classified material to three kinds of carrier (SAMM C7.13.3.1):
Unclassified sensitive cargo is handled more simply. "Reviews of Transportation Plans for unclassified shipments that are Sensitive or AA&E are conducted by the IA. DCSA does not require copies" (SAMM C7.13.3.2).
It stops being a planning document once it is signed off. "Once approved, a Transportation Plan becomes an integral part of the LOA and is available for review by U.S. Customs and security officials when exported" (SAMM C7.13.4).
Distribution is the purchaser's duty. Purchasers are responsible for ensuring their freight forwarders hold copies where those forwarders are involved in exports (SAMM C7.13.4). The manual also asks that the details be written into the service contract for the movement, together with the security risk category and stock number, so that shipments are marked correctly and get the protective services they need.
For cryptographic items there is an added receipt step with a clock on it. "The Recipient COMSEC Manager must sign and return the SF-153 to the shipper within 48 hours of receipt of material" (SAMM C7.13.3.3.1).
The categories are fixed. "AA&E materiel is broken down into four Security Risk Categories (SRC)", and sensitive materiel such as cryptographic items may carry no category at all while still requiring special handling (SAMM C7.15).
One restriction removes the ordinary commercial route entirely. "AA&E and Sensitive items may not be shipped to a purchaser's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) freight forwarder or to a purchaser's facility in the United States", and they require transportation plans (SAMM C7.15).
Identification is a case writing duty rather than a shipping one. Case managers must note in the case document whether items are hazardous, are arms, ammunition or explosives, or are classified or sensitive. The same items must then be identified in the Department contract, with their shipping requirements (SAMM C7.15).
The highest category is described by example. "This category is primarily Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS), rockets, and ammunition in a ready-to-fire configuration, including components." Those items "must be moved by DTS to at least the overseas Port of Debarkation (POD)" (SAMM C7.15.1).
A purchaser wanting to collect them earlier has one route. It must request a waiver from the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, and "The waiver request must demonstrate that the purchaser will provide security for movement of the items that is at least equal to DoD standards" (SAMM C7.15.1). A granted waiver is written into the case as a note.
The lower categories run from light automatic weapons and ammunition down to non-automatic weapons. They must move through a controlled port of embarkation on delivery term code 7, 8 or 9, and the manual closes the door in four words: "This requirement cannot be waived" (SAMM C7.15.2).
Not everything that looks like ammunition is caught. Only items identified by item managers as sensitive under the physical security manual require special release and movement processing (SAMM C7.15.3). The accountability regime that follows delivery is separate, and is described in routine and enhanced end use monitoring.
A separate identifier governs explosive articles moved by commercial carrier inside the United States. A unique number issued by the transport regulator attaches to every such article and must be assigned before it moves commercially. The number carries the article's hazard class and division, its proper shipping name and its international identification number (SAMM C7.16.1).
There is one stated exemption, and it is narrow. "Small arms cartridges for rifles, pistols, and shotguns with inert projectiles or blank ammunition not exceeding .50 caliber or 8 gauges do not require EX-Numbers if the manufacturer has assigned a hazardous classification code of 1.4S" (SAMM C7.16.1).
Departmental numbers exist, but they expire at the handover. A Department number may be used for the initial export where the materiel moves through the Defense Transportation System, and otherwise the purchaser obtains its own. "Once custody of the materiel is transferred to the purchaser, the DoD EX-Number is no longer valid for the movement of FMS-origin HC1 articles" (SAMM C7.16.2).
| Transportation Plan | The document required for classified, sensitive or explosive cargo crossing a border. SAMM C7.13.1. |
|---|---|
| SRC | Security risk category, the four tier classification applied to arms, ammunition and explosives. SAMM C7.15. |
| CCI | Controlled cryptographic item, unclassified but controlled equipment performing a communications security function. |
| DCSA | Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, which verifies clearances and reviews plans involving industry. |
| EX-Number | The identifier required before an explosive article moves by commercial carrier in the United States. SAMM C7.16.1. |
Every statement above links to the document behind it. The full source list for this piece is on the sources page.
This page describes public United States government programs for general information. It is not legal, regulatory or procurement advice, and it does not address the facts of any particular case.
Sensitive cargo travels under a plan that runs to the point of receipt. Sentfore provides protective security, secure movement and site support across exactly that stretch, in complex environments, and its principals have worked on overseas defense and security programs. Requirements can be sent through the contact page.