Guide
When must a sale go through Foreign Military Sales?
Defense articles and services may be designated Government-to-Government-Only on criteria such as technological sensitivity, and the manual keeps a consolidated list of them. A designated item is sold only through government channels.
When must a sale go through Foreign Military Sales?
Although most defense items, services, or training can be purchased through either or , in limited instances, technology or security concerns may require that sales of specific items be restricted to Government-to-Government-Only (G2G-Only). The gives the President discretion to designate which military end items must be sold exclusively through channels. This authority is delegated to the Secretary of , who makes the designation based on DOD input. Military Departments () and forward recommendations and rationales for G2G-Only designations to the . provides G2G-Only recommendations to the Department of State (DOS) for review and approval/disapproval. The Defense Technology Security Administration (), in coordination with the , implements this process through its involvement with DOS in reviewing commercial export license requests. DOS will not issue a commercial export license for sales that have been designated FMS-Only.
References
SAMM
- SAMM C4.3.5.1 — Government-to-Government Only Criteria.
- SAMM C4.3.5.2.1
- SAMM C4.T5 — Government-to-Government-Only List
- SAMM C4.3.6.2 — Specific Sale Exclusions.
Related
FMS — Foreign Military Sale
SAMM Acronyms, as of 12 September 2026
SLAM-ER — Standoff Land Attack Missiles Expanded Response
SAMM Acronyms, as of 12 September 2026
Weapon System
A combination of one or more weapons with all related equipment, materials, services, personnel, and means of delivery and deployment (if applicable) required for self-sufficiency.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
AMRAAM — Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles
SAMM Acronyms, as of 12 September 2026
Controlled Cryptographic Items (CCI)
CCIs are devices that embody cryptographic logic or other cryptographic design, but do not perform the entire Communications Security (COMSEC) function. CCIs are dependent upon host equipment or assemblies to complete and operate COMSEC functions. Un-keyed CCI is unclassified. An item may be designated CCI because its entire component is controlled (e.g. Inline Network Encryptor (INE)), or because the item contains an embedded cryptographic National Security Agency (NSA) Type-1 certified module to encrypt/de-encrypt information (e.g. secure radio).
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
Foreign Military Sales (FMS)
A process, authorized by the Arms Export Control Act, through which eligible foreign governments and international organizations may purchase defense articles, services, and training from the United States Government.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
LAIRCM — Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures
SAMM Acronyms, as of 12 September 2026
DCS — Direct Commercial Sales
SAMM Acronyms, as of 12 September 2026
Military Assistance Program (MAP)
That portion of the United States Security Assistance program authorized by the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, which once provided defense articles and services to recipients on a nonreimbursable (grant) basis. Funding for MAP was consolidated under the Foreign Military Financing program beginning in Fiscal Year 1990.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
DSCA — Defense Security Cooperation Agency
SAMM Acronyms, as of 12 September 2026
Glossary entry →Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) →
Arms Export Control Act (AECA)
The basic U.S. law providing the authority and general rules for the conduct of Foreign Military Sales and commercial sales of defense articles, defense services, and training. The Arms Export Control Act (AECA) came into existence with the passage of the Foreign Military Sales Act (FMSA) of 1968. An amendment in the International Security Assistance and AECA of 1976 changed the name of FMSA to the AECA.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
DoD Components (DSCA)
The Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Military Departments, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Combatant Commands, the DoD Office of the Inspector General, the Defense agencies, and DoD field activities.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA)
An agency, under the authority, direction, and control of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (USD(P)), that directs, administers, and provides DoD-wide guidance to the DoD Components and DoD representatives to U.S. missions abroad for the execution of DoD security assistance and security cooperation programs over which DSCA has responsibility, in accordance with Chapter 32 and Chapter 39 of title 22 U.S.C., DoD Directive (DoDD) 5132.03, other laws, and DoDD 5105.65.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
DTSA — Defense Technology Security Administration
SAMM Acronyms, as of 12 September 2026