The Trump administration has relaxed export restrictions on specific types of unmanned aerial systems, commonly known as drones, enabling U.S. defense contractors to sell more of their wares abroad.
The policy change, which had been expected, will allow the transfer of armed systems such as the Predator and Reaper to foreign governments.
U.S. officials said Friday the administration was using its "national discretion" in updating the export policy, which had included a "strong presumption of denial" for transfers of certain systems to foreign countries.
In a statement outlining the policy change, the White House cited the need to modernize the Missile Technology Control Regime, an informal agreement among 35 partner countries to counter the proliferation of missile systems and technologies.
Under the updated policy, the administration will apply to some of the drone systems the less stringent export controls assigned to less sensitive technologies.
President Trump took unilateral action regarding the policy following two years of unsuccessful negotiations among the partner countries, according to the White House statement.
Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Clarke Cooper said the move would bolster U.S. national security by improving the capabilities of partner countries, and said all potential sales would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Friday's move is the latest in a series of administration efforts to enhance the export of U.S.-made weapons, with officials highlighting the strategic partnerships that can accompany the billions in spending.
Mr. Cooper told reporters that July is on pace to become the "second-largest month ever in the history of foreign military sales notifications to Congress," with more than $32 billion in proposed sales.
He said several countries have expressed interest in purchasing U.S.-made drones for purposes including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; border security and commercial operations.
Sen. Bob Menendez (D., N.J.), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, criticized the loosening of the drone-export controls, saying the Trump administration risks undermining the multinational missile agreement in its broader counterproliferation efforts.
State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said the U.S. remains a committed member of the Missile Technology Control Regime and regards it as an "important nonproliferation tool to curb the spread of high-end missile technologies to countries such as North Korea and Iran."
Sen. Jim Risch (R., Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed support for the missile agreement, but said its restrained approach has for years enabled China to strengthen its own defense industrial base and to build trade relationships abroad.
Mr. Risch called for further action to ease the U.S. export of unmanned systems, by treating them like all other aircraft, noting that he has introduced legislation to that effect.