New Guide Highlights AUKUS, FMS Provisions in NDAA

The Aerospace Industries Association has released a five-page summary of major provisions in the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act that deal with the Australia, U.K. and U.S. (AUKUS) security partnership and the Foreign Military Sales program.

Among the dozens of provisions is a requirement that the State Department begin a rulemaking to establish an expedited decision-making process for advanced defense technology exports to Australia, the U.K. and Canada. The NDAA also calls on the State Department to designate a senior adviser to oversee and coordinate the implementation of AUKUS, and it directs the U.S. president to determine whether Australia and the U.K. have implemented export controls comparable to those of the U.S.

Another provision requires the Defense Department to carry out an initiative to improve the policies, processes and procedures for technology release and foreign disclosure decisions. The NDAA also calls for creating a "center of excellence" to improve the training and education of personnel engaged in FMS planning and execution.

House and Senate negotiators unveiled the NDAA in early December (see 2312070054), and President Joe Biden signed it into law on Dec. 22.