The prolonged partial shutdown of the US government has delayed the export of more than $5 billion worth of American weapons destined for NATO allies and Ukraine. This was reported by axes
The 40-day government shutdown has paralyzed a number of federal agencies, including the State Department's bureau that handles export contracts, according to the publication. As a result, deliveries of systems such as HIMARS, Aegis and AMRAAM missiles to Denmark, Croatia and Poland have been disrupted or delayed. Some of these weapons could have been transferred to Ukraine.
A senior State Department official said the situation was “harmful to both U.S. allies and partners and to the American defense industry.” He said the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs was now operating at only a quarter of its full-time staff, significantly slowing down deal processing.
The process for selling American weapons is usually straightforward, but the Arms Export Control Act requires Congress to participate. With officials who are supposed to brief congressional committees on leave, that process has effectively ground to a halt.
The State Department said the delays harmed the security of allies and undermined trust in the United States. Department spokesman Tommy Pigott accused Democrats of blocking the sales, which he said “endangered the security of both America and its partners.”
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch stressed that due to the bureaucratic pause, "China and Russia gain an advantage, while the US defense base loses ground and allies are left without the necessary weapons."
