https://crsreports.congress.gov
Updated May 17, 2021
Defense Primer: DOD “Title 10” Security Cooperation
Security Cooperation (SC) Overview
The Department of Defense (DOD) uses the term security
cooperation (SC) to refer broadly to DOD interactions with
foreign security establishments. SC activities include
the transfer of defense articles and services;
military-to-military exercises;
military education, training, and advising; and
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. They are considered a key tool for
achieving U.S. national security and foreign policy
objectives. These activities are executed through both
DOD-administered SC programs (authorized under Title
10, U.S.C.) and DOD-implemented State Department
(DOS) security assistance (SA) programs (authorized under
Title 22, U.S.C). Beyond grant-based programs, SC
encompasses the Foreign Military Sales program and
enables U.S. and PN collaboration on defense articles. The
following sections focus on DOD “Title 10” activities.
SC: Policy and Objectives
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 emphasizes partnerships, aiming 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.
The 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS) signaled the
Trump Administration’s intention to shift SC activities
from nearly two decades of prioritizing counterterrorism
toward “great power competition” (GPC) with Russia and
China. The shift raised questions as to how SC should be
realigned to meet this objective and what the implications
could be for scaling down counterterrorism-focused SC
activities in Africa and the Middle East, especially as
Russia and China increase their influence. Some DOD
officials and defense analysts have suggested that rather
than a shift, counterterrorism, as well as irregular warfare,
should remain priorities within GPC. The Biden
Administration has yet to release a new NDS; however, its
Interim National Security Strategic Guidance broadly
identifies authoritarianism and strategic competition as
priority threats that require coordination and cooperation
with allies and partners.
SC: Roles and Responsibilities
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. Within DOD, the
Undersecretary of Defense for Policy (USD[P]) exercises
overall direction, authority, and control over SC matters.
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. DSCA is also DOD’s main interlocutor between
the PNs, implementing agencies, and the defense industry.
The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations
and Low-Intensity Conflict (ASD-SO/LIC) oversees and
approves some SC training activities that are managed by
DSCA. U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM)
coordinates those SC activities executed by special
operations forces (SOF). 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 and equipment are permitted for transfer.
Figure 1. Title 10 SC Budget Categories, by Organization
Source: CRS. Data from DSCA SC Budget Display, FY2021.
