The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) applauds the Administration’s release today of a report that recommends reform of the nation’s export policies for satellites and related items.
The report, which was prepared by the Departments of Defense and State, as required by Congress in Section 1248 of the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act, assesses the national security risk of reforming United States export control policy for satellites and related items. The “Final Section 1248” Report makes seven key findings, and includes six detailed attachments. It lists the satellites and associated parts and components that can be regulated under the Commerce Control List with acceptable risk. The Report concludes that “Applying more stringent export control policies and practices than are imposed by other advanced satellite-exporting countries places the U.S. satellite industry at a distinct, competitive disadvantage that undermines the U.S. space industrial base to the detriment of U.S. national security, while doing nothing to protect the technological advances that are critical to giving our war fighters the advantages that U.S. technology can afford them.”
“SIA and our members are gratified that, after thorough and careful assessment, the nation’s national security and export control communities supported reform of the current outmoded approach to regulating exports of satellites and related items,” said SIA’s President, Patricia Cooper. “The satellite and space communities are reviewing the Report’s detailed technical analysis and recommendations, which collectively reflect a more contemporary picture of the national security, space, and satellite environments. SIA and its member companies look to the House of Representatives to support the existing satellite export control reform bill, H.R. 3288, and seek the introduction of companion legislation in the Senate.”
Satellites are the only industrial sector for which Congress has mandated export control policy through legislation. More than a decade ago, Congress passed legislation that required that all satellites, satellite components, associated technical data, and related ground equipment be traded as munitions. Since then, U.S. market share of satellite exports has seen a significant decline, prompting concerns by industry leaders and government officials alike about the impact of export control policies on the health of the underlying space industrial base supporting the commercial, military and intelligence space sectors. SIA and its members have long advocated for reform of export control policies and laws applicable to satellites and related items.
ABOUT THE SATELLITE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION:
SIA is a U.S.-based trade association providing worldwide representation of the leading satellite operators, service providers, manufacturers, launch services providers, and ground equipment suppliers. Since its creation more than fifteen years ago, SIA has become the unified voice of the U.S. satellite industry on policy, regulatory, and legislative issues affecting the satellite business.
SIA Executive Members include: Artel, Inc.; The Boeing Company; The DIRECTV Group; EchoStar Satellite Services LLC; Harris CapRock Communications; Hughes Network Systems, LLC; Integral Systems, Inc.; Intelsat, S.A.; Iridium Communications Inc.; LightSquared; Lockheed Martin Corporation.; Northrop Grumman Corporation; Rockwell Collins Government Systems; SES S.A.; and Space Systems/Loral. SIA Associate Members include: ATK Inc.; Cisco; Cobham SATCOM Land Systems; Comtech EF Data Corp.; DRS Technologies, Inc.; Eutelsat, Inc.; GE Satellite; Globecomm Systems, Inc.; Glowlink Communications Technology, Inc.; iDirect Government Technologies; Inmarsat, Inc.; Marshall Communications Corporation.; Orbital Sciences Corporation; Panasonic Avionics Corporation; Spacecom, Ltd.; Spacenet Inc.; TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.; Telesat Canada; Ultisat, Inc.; ViaSat, Inc., and XTAR, LLC. Additional information about SIA can be found at www.sia.org.
