BIS Seeks Comment on Civil Uses of MMIC Power Amplifiers, Microwave Transistors, Static Radar
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) asked the public for comments on specific examples of civil uses of Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) power amplifiers and discrete microwave transistors, both of which operate at frequencies exceeding 2.7 GHz. BIS is also requesting comment on civil uses of certain bi-static and multi-static radar that passively detects or tracks objects using radio frequency transmissions, such as commercial radio or television stations. The comments are due by Aug. 29. The agency expects that no “unclassified” MMIC power amplifiers or discrete microwave transistors will be controlled on the U.S. Munitions List, after a rule to amend the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies, and a tandem State Department and BIS rule take effect. The State and BIS rules to transfer USML Category XI (Military Electronics) will take effect in December.
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The two agencies re-proposed in July concurrent rules to move some military electronics goods from control under Category XI of the U.S. Munitions List to the Commerce Control List as part of Export Control Reform (see 13072421). The comments solicited in the proposal said that the products in question could be used for civil uses, such as Wi-Fi, WiMAX, point-to-point radios for cellular backhaul, commercial Ka-band used in commercial satellite-based wireless internet ground stations, V-Band radios used in small commercial cellular networks, and civil air traffic control systems. But the commenters did not provide specific enough examples of those uses, and therefore only minor changes were made in the final rules, said BIS. Comments that include specific product names, models, quantity, and total value of the MMIC power amplifiers and discrete microwave transistors used in those products will enable BIS to shift more control of the products to the Commerce Control List as part of revisions connected to implementation of Wassenaar Agreement amendments.
(Federal Register 07/01/14)