Expanding Foreign Sales of U.S. Military Equipment: Industry Perspectives

Moderated by:

David J. Berteau 
CSIS Senior Vice President and Director, International Security Program

With budgets decreasing and major acquisitions programs shrinking or being cut outright, pursuing additional foreign sales of US military equipment has become an increasingly important strategy for US defense companies, and for US government organizations concerned with sustaining the domestic defense industrial base.

At a time when sales are already on the rise, and global economic decline faces many traditional US partners, this objective raises a number of questions. How much could increased exports compensate for US declines, and in what types of systems? How can the US best balance security and economic tensions? To whom are we willing to sell, and how much of what? How much more can or should the Executive and/or Legislative branches do to help find the right balance going forward? Please join us for a discussion with industry representatives on these questions and more.