Directorate of Security Assistance (DSA)

The Directorate of Security Assistance (DSA) provides policy oversight, guidance, planning, coordination, and direction for the execution of and improvements to security assistance and equipping programs. DSA programs include Foreign Military Sales (FMS), leases, grants and sales of excess defense articles, certain Title 10 Train and Equip programs, the Special Defense Acquisition Fund (SDAF), and the drawdown of defense articles and services to foreign governments. DSA integrates programs into solutions that contribute to the accomplishment of national security objectives. These programs are designed to advance partner nation capacity and capabilities through the provision of defense articles and services, including training, and to accomplish national security objectives through military-civilian engagement. In addition, DSA provides weapon systems technical expertise, which includes expertise not just on the technical aspects of weapon systems operations, but also interoperability, production capacity, acquisition processes, and technology transfer and foreign disclosure. DSA also serves as DSCA’s industry ombudsman and DoD entry point for defense advocacy requests.

Assistance and Monitoring Programs (AMP) Division

The Assistance and Monitoring Programs (AMP) Division oversees the execution of four security cooperation programs and authorities:

  • End Use Monitoring (EUM): The EUM program reduces the security risks involved in the transfer of equipment and services to foreign partners, and assures that the required export controls, physical security, and accountability requirements are in place and enforced.
  • Excess Defense Articles (EDA): The U.S. Government may provide excess defense articles to foreign countries as a grant or at a reduced cost. The AMP Division oversees the interagency review and approval process for all EDA requests.
  • Nonrecurring Cost (NC) Waivers: The Arms Export Control Act requires the Department of Defense to recover nonrecurring costs for certain major defense equipment that is sold through the Foreign Military Sales system. The statute permits those costs to be waived under certain circumstances, such as to standardize equipment with other countries or to avoid a loss of sale. The AMP Division works closely with other Department of Defense offices to process waiver requests.
  • Leases: The U.S. Government may lease defense articles to a foreign country or international organization for temporary use. The AMP Division oversees the interagency review and approval process for all lease agreements.
  • Special Defense Acquisition Fund (SDAF): The Department of Defense, in coordination with the Department of State, uses the SDAF to purchase defense articles and services in anticipation of their transfer through the Arms Export Control Act, the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, or as otherwise authorized by law to foreign countries and international organizations.

Weapons (WPN) Division

The Weapons (WPN) Division provides technical subject matter expertise on weapons systems to the DSCA staff. This weapons systems expertise includes knowledge of system capability, export and operation policy, production capacity, parts obsolescence, system upgrades, system security, and interoperability.

The Weapons Division synchronizes inter-agency technology security and foreign disclosure (TSFD) efforts to support major weapons sales, to include technology transfer required as part of offsets. In addition, the Division supports Non-Programs of Record weapons systems to ensure U.S. Industry has the ability to obtain timely TSFD determinations and support for potential FMS transfers of these systems.

  • Competitions: The Weapons Division monitors and oversees international competitions involving both single U.S. bidders and multiple U.S. bidders to both ensure there is a level playing field and to assist as necessary with any policy related issues that may arise to better support a timely bid submission.
  • Industry Ombudsman: The Weapons Division serves as the industry ombudsman for DSCA and regularly fields industry inquiries from small, medium and large businesses. In addition, the Weapons Division works closely with the Department of Commerce Advocacy Center on all defense related advocacy requests.

Regional Affairs and Notifications (RAN) Division

The Regional Affairs and Notifications (RAN) Division provides policy oversight, guidance, planning, coordination, and direction for the execution of security cooperation programs. Its staff of trained Country Portfolio Directors (CPDs) are responsible for managing the execution and synchronization of the various security cooperation programs at the country level. Programs include FMS sale, lease, Excess Defense Article (EDA) grants, certain commercial contracts financed with Foreign Military Financing (FMF/DCC), and drawdown of defense articles and services to foreign governments in the Central Command (CENTCOM); Africa Command (AFRICOM); Southern Command (SOUTHCOM); and Northern Command (NORTHCOM) areas of responsibility that meet U.S. foreign policy and national security interests. The CPDs are matrixed to DSCA’s Combatant Command Integrated Regional Teams. Additionally, the RAN Division is responsible for processing all Congressional Notifications regarding potential major arms sales in accordance with Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act prior to submittal to the Department of State for notification to the Congressional committees of jurisdiction.

  • Special Programs: Implementation and oversight of the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund (ASFF), the Iraq Train and Equip Fund (ITEF), the Syria Train and Equip Fund (STEF), and Counter ISIL Train and Equip Fund (CTEF).
  • RAN Countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Algeria, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Rep, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Dem Rep (Kinshasa), Congo, Rep (Brazzaville), Costa Rica, Cote D'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, St. Helena, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Sudan, Southern Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos, Uganda, Uruguay, Venezuela, Western Sahara, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. RAN also supports security cooperation activities of the Organization of African Unity, the Organization of American States, and the United Nations.

Europe (EUR) Division

The Europe (EUR) Division provides policy oversight, guidance, planning, coordination, and direction for the execution of security cooperation programs. Its staff of trained Country Portfolio Directors (CPDs) are responsible for managing the execution and synchronization of the various security cooperation programs at the country level. Programs include sale, lease, and drawdown of defense articles and services to foreign governments in the European Command (EUCOM) area of responsibility that meet U.S. foreign policy and national security interests.

  • Special Programs: EUR is responsible for the implementation of the European Reassurance Initiative, the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, and the Foreign Military Financing of Direct Commercial Contracts (FMF/DCC) program (Also DCC Guidelines), and other programs.
  • EUR Countries: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Union, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, NATO, Netherlands, Norway, Palestinian Authority, Poland, Portugal, mania, Russia, Serbia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

Asia Pacific (AP) Division

The Asia Pacific (AP) Division provides policy oversight, guidance, planning, coordination, and direction for the execution of security cooperation programs. Its staff of trained Country Portfolio Directors (CPDs) are responsible for managing the execution and synchronization of the various security cooperation programs at the country level. Programs include sale, lease, and draw down of defense articles and services to foreign governments in the Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) area of responsibility that meet U.S. foreign policy and national security interests.

  • AP Countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, India, Japan, Kiribati, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vietnam.
  • American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Taipei Security Cooperation Office: The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) (Public Law 96-8) requires that programs with respect to Taiwan be carried out by or through the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). The AIT Security Cooperation Office (SCO), under the terms of the TRA, is responsible for supervising the implementation of the Security Assistance program in Taiwan. On behalf of DSCA and DoD, AIT SCO serves as a portal for directing and exercising management control over the development and implementation of programs for providing defense articles and services by sale or lease to Taiwan.

Case Writing (CWD) Division

The Case Writing (CWD) Division is responsible for finalizing and reviewing all FMS/Building Partner Capacity (BPC) Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) documents to ensure LOA quality, standardization, and compliance with policy and regulatory requirements prior to submission to DSCA headquarters, the applicable Implementing Agency (IA), and the Department of State (DoS) for final review/coordination, culminating in DSCA Countersignature to ensure LOAs meet U.S. foreign policy and national security interests.