by Matt Schroeder The Federation of American Scientists has acquired two previously unreleased US government reports on arms transfers, one on recent sales of US weapons and the other on arms purchased for the Afghanistan government with US military aid. Both documents were acquired under the Freedom of Information Act. The first report, which is […]
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Recent Activity from Matt Schroeder
Report reveals $11.7 billion in arms deliveries in 2009, but sheds little light on individual exports
By Matt Schroeder Deliveries of arms through the Defense Department’s Foreign Military Sales Program (FMS) increased by nearly $700 million in fiscal year (FY) 2009, according to the most recent edition of the Annual Military Assistance Report. The report, which is often referred to as the “Section 655 Report,” is compiled each year by the […]
Read MoreMissile Watch – June 2010
Missile Watch A publication of the FAS Arms Sales Monitoring Project Vol. 3, Issue 2 June 2010 Editor: Matt Schroeder Contributing Author: Scoville Fellow Matt Buongiorno Contents: Global News: Survey of black market prices for shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles reveals large differences in missile prices Afghanistan: No shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles in seized Afghan arms caches, confirms […]
Read MoreNew Study Examines Global Trade in Ammunition
The global trade in ammunition for small arms and light weapons is worth an estimated $4.3 billion, according to a comprehensive new study released today. Findings from the study, which is co-authored by Matt Schroeder of the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), appears as a chapter in Small Arms Survey 2010: Gangs, Groups, and Guns. […]
Read MoreSmall Arms in Iraq Vulnerable to Theft and Diversion
By Matthew Buongiorno Scoville Fellow Shortly after the United States invaded Iraq and disbanded its army, the Bush Administration concluded that a key to stabilizing the country was the creation of a self-sufficient and effective Iraqi Security Force (ISF). To this end, the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund (IRRF) – later succeeded by the Iraq […]
Read MoreU.S. Defense Department sold more than $15 billion in arms in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2009, report reveals
By Matt Schroeder Arms sold by the Defense Department to foreign recipients totaled more than $15 billion in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2009, according to a report obtained by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS). The quarterly report, which is dated February 2009 and is required by Section 36(a) of the Arms Export […]
Read MoreMissile Watch – February 2010
Missile Watch A publication of the FAS Arms Sales Monitoring Project Vol. 3, Issue 1 February 2010 Editor: Matt Schroeder Contributing Author: Matt Buongiorno Graphics: Alexis Paige Contents: Global Overview Afghanistan: No recent discoveries of shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles in insurgent arms caches Eritrea: UN slaps arms embargo on major missile proliferator Iraq: Fewer public reports […]
Read MoreEight Recommendations for Improving Transparency in US Arms Transfers
Transparency is essential for effective congressional and public oversight of the arms trade, and the US government is widely (and rightly) praised for its reporting on arms exports. Yet there is also significant room for improvement. Reporting on US arms exports and international arms transfers funded or authorized by the US government is often incomplete, […]
Read MorePhotos of Seized Weapons Highlight the Importance of Stockpile Security
by Matt Schroeder Photos of firearms seized from criminals in Colombia are poignant reminders of the importance of strong controls on government arsenals. The photos, which were provided to the FAS’ Arms Sales Monitoring Project by the Colombian National Police, are of firearms reportedly seized in the department of Narino from a paramilitary group called […]
Read MoreDocuments obtained by FAS shed some light on Viktor Bout case, but key questions remain
By Matt Schroeder Documents provided to the Federation of American Scientists by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York provide additional details about the case against alleged arms trafficker Viktor Bout, but many important questions remain (publicly) unanswered. Below is a brief summary of these documents and their significance.
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