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* Congressionol Research Service
Informing the IegisI9tive debate since 1914
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Updated November 15, 2024
Defense Primer: DOD Title 10 Security Cooperation
Security Cooperation Overview
The Department of Defense (DOD) uses the term security
cooperation (SC) to refer broadly to DOD interactions with
foreign security establishments. SC activities may include
(1) the transfer of defense articles and services, (2)
international military education and training, (3) military-
to-military engagements such as exchanges and exercises,
and (4) capacity building of partner security forces.
SC programs are intended to encourage and enable partner
nations (PNs) to work with the United States to achieve
strategic objectives, such as U.S. national security and
foreign policy goals. SC activities are executed through
both DOD-administered SC programs (authorized under
Title 10 of the U.S. Code and temporarily through the
annual National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA]) and
DOD-implemented Department of State (DOS) security
assistance (SA) programs (authorized under Title 22 of the
U.S. Code). Beyond grant-based programs, SC
encompasses the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program
and enables U.S. and PN collaboration on defense articles.
The following sections focus on DOD Title 10 activities.
SC: Polcy and Ob ect ves
SC activities aim to achieve particular objectives in support
of U.S. national security and defense strategies.
Specifically, SC may build defense relationships that
promote U.S. security interests, enhance military
capabilities of U.S. allies and partners, and provide the
United States with access to PNs. Under the overarching
goal of furthering U.S. national security and foreign policy
interests, SC aims to be mutually beneficial for the United
States and its partners. SC activities aim to develop and
strengthen a PN's ability to provide internal security,
contribute to regional security efforts, combat shared
threats, and increase military interoperability with the
United States.
After two decades of emphasizing global counterterrorism,
SC is now central to U.S. efforts to reorient national
security policy toward countering the global influence of
China and Russia, and is at the core of both the 2022
National Security Strategy (NSS) and the 2022 National
Defense Strategy (NDS). Both strategies emphasize the
United States' network of allies and partners as its greatest
global advantage in this era of strategic competition and
elevate SC as a key tool to advance U.S. interests and deter
or deny opportunity to global adversaries.
SC: Roles and Responsibities
Many SC activities require DOD to coordinate with
multiple DOD components and other federal departments,
primarily DOS. Some DOD SC activities require varying
levels of coordination with DOS. DOS leads U.S. foreign
aid and has final say on SA. DOS's Bureau of Political-
Military Affairs (PM) is the principal link to DOD and
ensures that SA is integrated with other U.S. policies and
activities at the country, regional, and global levels. PM
also determines PN eligibility, appropriate SA programs,
and which defense articles are permitted for transfer.
Within DOD, the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy
(USD(P)) exercises overall direction, authority, and control
over SC matters. In this capacity, USD(P) recommends SC
funding levels, budget programming adjustments, and
resource allocation. As per DOD Directive (DoDD)
5132.03 and DoDD 5105.65, the Defense Security
Cooperation Agency (DSCA) represents the interests of the
Secretary of Defense and USD(P) in SC matters and is
tasked with directing, administering, and executing many
SC programs, developing SC policy, and providing DOD-
wide SC guidance (see DSCA Manual 5105.38-M). DSCA
is also DOD's main interlocutor between the PNs,
implementing agencies, and the defense industry. At the
theater level, the Geographic Combatant Commands
(GCCs) maintain responsibility for SC in their area of
operations, and the Combatant Commanders plan, execute,
and assess SC activities. The military departments and the
service components support the GCCs in the execution of
SC and serve as advisors to the Secretary of Defense. At the
country level, the Security Cooperation Organizations
(SCOs) within the U.S. Embassy serve as a conduit for
communication and coordination between the PN, U.S.
agencies, and U.S. industry. The SCO falls under the
direction and supervision of the U.S. Chief of Mission.
SC: Programs and Authorti s
The post-9/11 period saw the rapid and piecemeal
expansion of DOD SC activities, mainly as temporary
authorities that required annual renewal in the NDAA. The
FY2017 NDAA (P.L. 114-328) consolidated and codified
existing Title 10 SC authorities into Title 10, Chapter 16,
Sections 301-386, of the U.S. Code. Other provisions aimed
to make improvements to the SC programs and themselves,
as well as improvements in the management and oversight
of those programs.
Some SC programs are authorized under different sections
of Title 10, such as the Combatant Commander Initiative
Fund (10 U.S.C. §166a) and multiple authorities for U.S.-
PN engagements to support humanitarian assistance
activities (10 U.S.C. §§401, 402, 404, 407, 2561, 2557).
Other SC activities are authorized under different titles of
the U.S. Code, such as international attendance at the U.S.
Coast Guard Academy (14 U.S.C. §192) and the
Cooperative Threat Reduction Program (50 U.S.C. §3711).
The DOD also receives temporary SC authorities through
the annual NDAA, such as the Indo-Pacific Maritime
Security Initiative (P.L. 114-92, §1263, as amended), the
Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund (P.L. 113-291, §1236,](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.crs/goverhq0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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