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The U.S. Defense Department has restarted a fund designed to speed exports of military gear to allies, with $100 million for initiatives such as stockpiling equipment for resale to partners. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign military sales, won congressional approval in this year’s budget to revive the Special Defense Acquisition Fund to “provide speed and flexibility to the Foreign Military Sales” program, agency spokesman Charles Taylor said in an e-mail in response to questions.
The Defense Department will coordinate with other U.S. departments in advance and use the fund to buy military equipment from U.S. suppliers, such as body armor, night-vision devices, armored vehicles and small patrol boats in anticipation of demand from allies and partners, Taylor said. Otherwise, the agency must wait for a buying nation to sign a letter of agreement with the U.S. before it can place orders, he said.
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