Small Arms/Light Weapons & Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS)

The U.S. Approach to Combating the Spread of Small Arms, Light Weapons and MANPADS

The proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons (SA/LW) in regions of the world suffering from political instability and violent conflict has proven a major obstacle to peace, economic development, and efforts to rebuild war-torn societies. In places like Afghanistan, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Colombia, thousands of innocent civilians have been killed and tens of thousands more displaced by ethnic and civil conflicts perpetuated in large part by easy access to illicit SA/LW. Man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), light weapons that are commonly referred to as shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, when in the hands of criminals, terrorists and other non-state actors, also pose a potential danger to commercial aviation around the world.

The United States is a global leader in efforts to mitigate the illicit trafficking and destabilizing accumulation of SA/LW through multilateral diplomacy and bilateral assistance to countries in need. Specifically, the United States has directed its policies at building and enhancing enforcement and legal capacities, controlling proliferation to areas of conflict, providing training on export controls and customs practices, discouraging irresponsible and indiscriminate exports, strengthening sanctions against violators of embargoes, and enhancing stockpile security and destroying excess or otherwise at risk weapons, to include destroying MANPADS at the invitation of foreign governments. The U.S. approach focuses on practical, effective measures to address the problem of illicit SA/LW trafficking in conflict regions where it is most urgent, while acknowledging the legitimacy of legal trade, manufacture, and ownership of arms. [complete text]

The focal point for SA/LW and MANPADS abatement activities at the U.S. Department of State is the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. This Office works closely with the Office of Conventional Arms Threat Reduction in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation which is responsible for preventing the proliferation of MANPADS and other conventional weapons.

[More information about small arms, light weapons and MANPADS issues can be found in the press releases, remarks, fact sheets, etc. sections of the main Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement webpage.]