Security Assistance

Security Assistance is a group of programs authorized by the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) and the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) or other related statutes by which the US provides defense articles, military training, and other defense related services, by grant, loan, cash sale, or lease, in furtherance of national policies and objectives

Types of Security Assistance:

• Foreign funds (or Grants) through the US Foreign Military Financing (FMF) Program
• Purchase of U.S. defense articles or services through the U.S. Government via Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA)

• Appropriated program providing grants and loans to specific countries to enable purchase of U.S. defense articles, services, and training through either FMS or DCS channels

• Professional military or technical training through grants for foreign military and civilian defense personnel

• Offered either at reduced or no cost to eligible foreign recipients on an "as is, where is" basis
• Foreign nation (in most cases) pays for refurbishment and shipping

• President may direct drawdown of defense articles, services, or training from DoD for unforeseen military emergencies that cannot be met under the AECA or any other authority
• Second drawdown authority for counter-narcotics, anti-terrorism, non-proliferation, disaster relief, migration and refugee assistance, etc