State Extends Loophole in U.S. Munitions List for Military Electronics Category
Published Date: 8/28/2026
Rule
Summary
The Department of State (the Department), pursuant to its regulations and in the interest of the national security and foreign policy of the United States, extends a previous temporary modification of Category XI(b) of the United States Munitions List (USML).
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Extension of USML Category XI(b)
The Department of State extends the temporary modification of U.S. Munitions List (USML) Category XI(b) for two years, keeping that modification in effect through August 30, 2028. The rule is effective August 30, 2026, and the extension lasts until August 30, 2028.
Software Remains Controlled in XI(b)
The temporary modification explicitly reinserts the phrase "analyze and produce information from" and adds "software" to the description of items controlled in Category XI(b), keeping intelligence-analytics software and directly related software controlled on the USML. That clarified scope remains in effect under the extension.
Paragraph (b) Reversion on Aug 30, 2028
Effective August 30, 2028, amendatory instruction 3 revises Category XI(b) text to: "Electronic systems or equipment... specially designed for intelligence purposes that collect, survey, monitor, or exploit the electromagnetic spectrum... or for counteracting such activities." That July 2026–2028 temporary wording (which included software and "analyze and produce information from") will be replaced on that date.
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