Best Practices for Control, Security, and Transfer of Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS)

[Presented by the Delegation of the United States at the Third Meeting of National Points of Contact of CICTE]

I. Stockpile Control and Security Requirements

A. When receiving MANP ADS, written verification of receipt of MANP ADS shipments.

B. Inventory by serial number of the initial shipments of all transferred firing mechanisms and missiles, if physically possible; and maintenance of written records of inventories.

C. Physical inventory of all MANP ADS subject to transfer, at least once a month; account by serial number for MANP ADS components expended or damaged during peacetime.

D. Ensure storage conditions are sufficient to provide for the highest standards of security and access control. These may include:

• Where the design of MANP ADS permits, storing missiles and firing mechanisms in locations sufficiently separate so that a penetration of the security at one site will not place the second site at risk.
• Ensuring continuous (24-hour per day) surveillance.
• Establishing safeguards under which entry to storage sites requires the presence of at least two authorized persons.

E. Transport MANPADS in a manner that provides for the highest standards and practices for safeguarding sensitive munitions in transit. When possible, transport missiles and firing mechanisms in separate containers.

F. Where applicable, bring together and assemble the principal components -typically the grip stock and the missile in a launch tube -only in the event of hostilities or imminent hostilities; for firing as part of regularly scheduled training, or for lot, testing, for which only those rounds intended to be fired will be withdrawn from storage and assembled; when systems are deployed as part of the point defenses of high priority installations or sites; and in any other circumstances which might be agreed between the receiving and transferring states.

G. Access to hardware and any related classified information will be limited to military and civilian personnel of the receiving state who have the proper security clearance and who have an established need to know the information in order to perform their duties.

Any information released will be limited to that necessary to perform assigned responsibilities and, where possible, will be oral and visual only.

H. Adopt prudent stockpile management practices that include effective and secure disposal or destruction of MANP ADS stocks that are or become excess to domestic requirements.

II. Transfer Requirements

A. MANPADS transfers are carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Inter- American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFT A).

B. Decisions to permit MANPADS exports are made by the exporting state by competent authorities at senior policy level and only to foreign states or to agents specifically authorized to act on behalf of a state after presentation of an official End-User Certificate (EUC) certified by the receiving state. 

C. General licenses are inapplicable for exports of MANPADS; each transfer is subject to an individual licensing decision.

D. Exporting states do not make use of non-governmental brokers or brokering services when transferring MANP ADS, unless specifically authorized to on behalf of the state.

E. Decisions to authorize MANP ADS exports take into account:

• Potential for diversion or misuse in the recipient state;
• The recipient state's ability and willingness to protect against unauthorized re-transfers, loss, theft and diversion; and
• The adequacy and effectiveness of the physical security arrangements of the recipient state for the protection of military property, facilities, holdings, and inventories.

F. Prior to authorizing MANP ADS exports, the exporting state assures itself of the recipient state's guarantees:

• not to re-export MANP ADS except with the prior consent of the exporting state;
• to afford requisite security to classified material and information in
• accordance with applicable bilateral agreements, to prevent unauthorized access or compromise;
• to inform promptly the exporting state of any instance of compromise, unauthorized use, loss, or theft of any MANPADS material.

G. In addition, the exporting state satisfies itself of the recipient state's willingness and ability to implement effective measures for secure storage, handling, transportation, use of MANP ADS material, and disposal or destruction of excess stocks to prevent unauthorized access and use. The recipient state's domestic procedures designed to attain the requisite security include, but are not limited to, the above set of practices mentioned in section I, or others that will achieve comparable levels of protection and accountability.