"One-quarter of the FMS [Foreign Military Sales] cases we reviewed were managed by programs that do not have a checklist," the report stated.
Checklists are needed to define a foreign customer’s military requirements in requesting US approval for weapons sales, the release said.
Other factors cited in the GAO report were over lengthy reviews of letters of offer and acceptance that are needed to finalize approval of a foreign weapons sale, unanticipated delays in weapons manufacturer’s production schedules and political concerns, the report noted.
The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) is responsible for administering the Foreign Military Sales program with oversight from the US State Department.
A 20-day deadline to process a foreign customer’s request often passes without action, the GAO said.