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Trump Orders Agencies to Expedite and Expand Arms Sales Abroad

  • Agencies given 60 days to propose ways to speed approvals
  • Extra scrutiny dropped for drones with lasers for targeting
A Lockheed Martin Corp. Fury unmanned aircraft system (UAS) hangs above the exhibition floor at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) unmanned systems conference in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2013. 

Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

President Donald Trump has ordered government agencies to expedite and expand arms sales abroad, including easing limits on exports of drones with military capabilities.

“Within 60 days we are called upon to create a work plan” for speedier approvals of foreign military sales in cooperation with defense contractors and industry groups, Tina Kaidanow, a principal deputy assistant secretary in the State Department, told reporters on a conference call Thursday.

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