The Missile Technology Control Regime is an informal and voluntary association of countries which share the of non-proliferation of unmanned delivery systems capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction, and which seek to coordinate national export licensing efforts aimed at preventing their proliferation. The MTCR was originally established in 1987 by Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Since that time, the number of MTCR partners has increased to a total of , all of which have equal standing within the Regime (see also below).
The MTCR was initiated partly in response to the increasing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), i.e., nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. The risk of proliferation of WMD is well recognized as a threat to international peace and security, including by the UN Security Council in its Summit Meeting Declaration of January 31, 1992. While concern has traditionally focused on state proliferate, after the tragic events of 11 September 2001, it became evident that more also has to be done to decrease the risk of WMD delivery systems falling into the hands of terrorist groups and individuals. One way to counter this threat is to maintain over the transfer of missile equipment, material, and related technologies usable for systems capable of delivering WMD.
The MTCR rests on adherence to common guidelines (the MTCR Guidelines) applied to an integral common list of controlled items (the MTCR Equipment, Software and Technology Annex). All MTCR decisions are taken by consensus, and MTCR partners regularly exchange information about relevant national export licensing issues.
National export licensing measures on these technologies make the task of countries seeking to achieve capability to acquire and produce unmanned means of WMD delivery much more difficult. As a result, many countries, including all MTCR partners, have chosen voluntarily to introduce export licensing measures on rocket and other unmanned air vehicle delivery systems or related equipment, material and technology.
The current Chairman of the Regime is Mr. Manuel Viturro de la Torre of Spain. He can be contacted at mtcr.madrid@mae.es.
MTCR Partners
Argentina (1993)
Australia (1990)
Austria (1991)
Belgium (1990)
Bulgaria (2004)
Brazil (1995)
Canada (1987)
Czech Republic (1998)
Denmark (1990)
Finland (1991)
France (1987)
Germany (1987)
Portugal (1992)
Republic of Korea (2001)
Russian Federation (1995)
South Africa (1995)
Spain (1990)
Sweden (1991)
Switzerland (1992)
Turkey (1997)
Ukraine (1998)
United Kingdom (1987)
United States of America (1987)
Membership
As with all MTCR decisions, the decision to admit a new partner is taken by consensus. In making membership decisions, partners tend to consider whether a prospective new member would strengthen international non proliferation efforts, demonstrates a sustained and sustainable commitment to non proliferation, has a legally based effective export control system that puts into effect the MTCR Guidelines and procedures, and administers and enforces such controls effectively.
MTCR Plenary Meetings
MTCR partners hold an annual Plenary Meeting chaired on a rotational basis (see below for a list of MTCR Plenaries). The Plenary host becomes the Chair of the MTCR for the period extending to the next Plenary. Technical Experts Meetings, Information Exchanges and Enforcement Expert Meetings are held on an ad hoc basis. The MTCR has no secretariat. Distribution of the Regime?s working papers is carried out through a Point of Contact (POC), the functions of which are performed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France. Intersessional consultations also take place monthly through POC meetings in Paris, occasionally reinforced with capitals-based officials.
September 1988
December 1989
July 1990
March 1991
November 1991
June 1992
March 1993
November 1993
October 1994
October 1995
October 1996
November 1997
October 1998
October 1999
October 2000
September 2001
September 2002
September 2003
October 2004
Italy
United Kingdom
Canada
Japan
USA
Norway
Australia
Switzerland
Sweden
Germany
UK
Japan
Hungary
Netherlands
Finland
Canada
Poland
Argentina
Republic of Korea
UAVs and MTCR
The Regime is concerned with delivery systems as well as WMD and in the , which contains definitions and descriptions of technologies proscribed by the Regime, UAVs are listed as Category One technologies (page 11 of 60) if the UAV can carry 500 Kg (1102 lbs) up to a range of 300 Km (186 Mi). In this context all MALE and HALE UAVs fall within this class of missile comparable delivery systems. SUAVs and TUAVs for the most part do not because of limited payload capacity. The Regimes enforcement is voluntary and managed by each signatory?s system of export controls. It is not likely that enforcement is even across the signatory nations.
The United States, in concert with the Global War on Terror (GWOT) strictly enforces the restrictions. In fact the State Department on several occasions has included the Predator A as a Category One system even though its specifications for payload 204 Kg (450 Lb) are well below the Annex?s limit.
Rational Rationale for UAVs?
In the current world of WMD proliferation and in the context of the GWOT, it is clear that export restrictions are very important to reduce or eliminate WMD proliferation and perhaps to ensure the survival of humanity.
On the other hand, given the clear capacity of many international terrorists to devalue individual life, indeed to encourage suicide assisted mass murder, does the inclusion of UAVs into this class of proscribed systems really have a deterrent effect. A Predator costs about $13-15 MM, a piloted Cessna 172 a fraction of that amount, and a terrorist infected with a pathogen next to nothing to deploy to a Las Vegas convention. 1102 lbs? 189 miles?
In fact the case could logically be made that upside of the use of UAVs as ISR platforms to combat terror far outweighs the downside of their potential use as a WMD delivery system.
One thing is clear. The MTCR, as currently interpreted by the United States
