The Forum on the Arms Trade is a network of civil society experts and a point of contact for strengthening public efforts to address the humanitarian, economic and other implications of arms transfers, security assistance, and weapons use. Managed from Washington DC, the Forum provides a venue for bringing its community's wide-ranging expertise together to amplify and strengthen its work, while also offering government and media members a one-stop resource for the latest information, analysis, and best contacts. Forum-listed experts are located around the world and work on diverse topics including human rights, development, arms control, humanitarian disarmament, cybersecurity, arms and the environment, anti-corruption, and related fields.
Notification TrackerNew FMS notifications: September 2 - France $350 million for C-130 support Spain $248.5 million for 100 medium range air-to-air missiles August 26 - Japan $63 million for 32 air-to-air missiles United Kingdom $46 million for 395 Hellfire missiles July 30 - Philippines $126 million for boats and armaments July 28 - Kuwait $59.6 million for training ammunition July 27 - Netherlands $39 million for medium range air-to-air missiles July 23 - Chile $634.70 million for F-16 modernization July 10 - South Korea $250 million for support to Peace Krypton reconnaissance aircraft July 9 - Japan $23.11 billion for 105 F-35 fighter aircraft; Taiwan $620 million for Patriot missile recertification; Germany $130 million for 64 MK 54 lightweight torpedoes; Belgium $33.3 million for 29 MK 54 lightweight torpedoes July 7 - Jordan $23 million for one Black Hawk helicopter July 6 - Israel $3 billion for fuel; Indonesia $2 billion for 8 Osprey aircraft; France $2 billion for 3 Hawkeye aircraft; Lithuania $380 million for 6 Black Hawk helicopters; Argentina $100 million for 27 Stryker infantry carriers June 17 - Ukraine $600 million 16 Mark VI patrol boats June 15 - Canada $862.3 million 50 Sidewinder missiles and other items for F/A-18A aircraft see resource
Resource Page - Int'l Trade of Firearms & Ammunition: Move to Commerce ControlOn January 17, the Federal Register put online final rules (Commerce, State), that were officially published on Jan. 23. Numerous states attorneys generals filed a case to block the rules.
On March 4, more than 20 organizations sent a letter to Congress opposing the policy. On March 6, a temporary injunction was issued barring the transfer of 3D printing plan regulation to Commerce (but not impacting the remainder of the rules). The broader rules have now come into effect (March 9). In July, Rep. Norma Torres introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act requiring Congressional notification be retained on firearms moved over to Commerce and 45 organizations sent a letter to Congress supporting efforts to do so. The amendment was not ruled in order. See resource page for reactions and developments. 2019 On February 4, 2019, Congress was notified of final rules to transfer of some items on US Munitions List (USML) categories I-III to the Commerce Control List (CCL), starting a 30-day review period. Legislation to block the change has now been introduced in both the Senate and the House and a hold placed delaying its implementation. A hearing on this topic is was held Tuesday, March 26, in the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. On May 14, more than 100 organizations sent a letter to Congress opposing the changes. On July 11, the House added an amendment (#10) to the NDAA, which would block these changes, by a vote of 225 to 205. On July 12, the House passed the full NDAA by a vote of 220 to 197, but the NDAA has since remained stalled in conference. The Senate version did not contain this provision. On October 24, 44 organizations delivered a letter calling for retention of this amendment in the NDAA, along with many others. November 12, Congressional staff were briefed on Trump administration plans to move these rules forward. The December 9 conference (and ultimately final) version of the National Defense Authorization Act did not retain the amendment that would prohibit changes to firearms export rules (see conference report). But on December 10, Senator Menendez again requested a hold be placed (see letter). 2018 The proposed rule was published on May 24 and closed for public comment on July 9, 2018. See resource for concerns expressed and more information. 
Experts PublicationsHighlighting publications in which Forum-listed experts were involved. Inclusion on the Forum on the Arms Trade expert list does not indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of others.
Nils Duquet, "Illicit Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts, Components and Ammunition to, from and across the European Union," UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 2020.
Ray Acheson, Allison Pytlak (editors), "First Committee Briefing Book 2020," Reaching Critical Will, September 2020, with sections authored by Wim Zwijnenburg (armed drones), Mary Wareham (fully autonomous weapons), Laura Boillot (explosive weapons in populated areas), Bonnie Docherty (incendiary weapons), Natalie Goldring (small arms and light weapons), Allison Pytlak (cyber peace and security),Ray Acheson (gender and disarmament), Doug Weir and Wim Zwijnenburg (protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts), Matthew Breay Bolton (disarmament education), and many others. Mandy Smithberger, "National (In)Security and the Pentagon Budget: A Post-Coronavirus Economy Can No Longer Afford to Put the Pentagon First," TomDispatch, September 13, 2020. Andrew Feinstein +, "Arms sales and child health," BMJ Paediatrics Open, 2020. Dan Mahanty+, "Toward a New Approach to National and Human Security: End Unlawful, Secret, and Unaccountable Use of Lethal Force," Just Security, September 11, 2020. Kate Kizer, Annie Shiel, Mandy Smithberger +, "Toward a New Approach to National and Human Security: End Endless War," Just Security, September 11, 2020. John Lindsay-Poland, "US Gun Exports Have Spiked During the Pandemic," Inkstick, September 9, 2020. Iain Overton (editor)+, "Explosive violence monitor 2019," Action on Armed Violence, September 4, 2020. N.R. Jenzen-Jones +, "Cartridges of Caracas: The illicit trade in small-calibre ammunition in Venezuela’s capital," Research Report No. 11, Armament Research Services, September, 2020. Jeff Abramson, "ATT Takes on Arms Diversion," and "Inspector General Reviews U.S. Arms Sales," Arms Control Today, September 2020. Roy Isbister, "Running on the spot: The Sixth Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty," Saferworld, August 28, 2020. Allison Pytlak +, "Editorial: One more time for the people in the back—transparency (still) matters!" plus news in brief, ATT Monitor, Vol. 13. No. 4, Reaching Critical Will, August 27, 2020. Robert Muggah +, Terra Incognito: 100 Maps to Survive the Next 100 Years, Penguin/Random House, 2020. Daniel Mahanty, "U.S. Support to Security Sector Reform in Fragile States," CSIS Briefs, Center for Strategic and International Studies, August 26, 2020. William Hartung, "The Trump administration should not sell weapons to the UAE," Washington Post, August 27, 2020. View the full list of recent and past publications featuring Forum on the Arms Trade-listed experts.
|
Upcoming Event
Find experts who speak...Latest "This Week in Arms Trade Publications"
Click image above for the latest collection of publications by Forum-listed experts, and other updates on arms trade, security assistance and weapons use. Sign up to receive directly via email and check archived editions here.
U.S. Landmine PolicyChanges to U.S. landmine policy to allow for greater use of the weapons were announced by the White House on Jan 31. On May 6, More than 100 members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Esper expressing disappointment in new U.S. landmine policy and seeking answers to questions on the justification for the reversal and future plans. The Defense Department replied on September 5. Reaction and information available - resource page.
U.S. Presidential Election 2020 - Candidate PositionsQuotes and other resources identifying positions of candidates for U.S. President on four key arms trade issues: Arms Trade Treaty; arms to Saudi-led coalition; firearms export oversight, and the Mine Ban Treaty. Will be expanded and updated regularly. See resource.
2020 Annual Conference -
Missed the conference? Check out the video.
"Arms Trade FAQ" videosSee transcripts and more details here.
|
Experts
|
Washington DC
United States (outside Washington DC)
|
International
|
in cooperation with our partner organizations and projects:
|
|
|
Partners are not responsible for the work of the Forum nor does partnership indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of
other partners, listed experts, or resources produced by the Forum.
other partners, listed experts, or resources produced by the Forum.