As for exports, I didn't realize that things were as crazy as RevDisc describes until I got a call from a guy from Belgrade who was visiting the US. He wanted to know if it was legal for him to buy a plain 3-9x40 scope from me and take it home with him. I spent nearly an hour talking to different government agencies, and was finally told that he couldn't do it. He needed an export license to take it home. :rolleyes:
Oh, oh. Lemme guess!
You had to call the following:
US State Department - Directorate for Defense Trade Controls because it is on the US Munitions List so it is governed by International Trade in Arms Regulations.
US Department of Commerce - Bureau of Industry and Security because it is governed by Export Administration Regulations.
And maybe, just maybe, the US Department of Defense - Defense Technology Security Administration because one or both of the previously meantioned departments incorrectly thought it was a foreign military sale (FMS).
Then, once you have all of your export licenses, end user certificates, export indentification numbers, statements that it is not a FSM, you called up Customs. Or more wisely, you called up an international shipping expediting company that specializes in shipping ITAR stuff, and pay them a lot of money to talk to Customs for you.
Could be worse. You would be trying to export the most advanced helicopters on the planet, filled with electronics, avionics, composite materials, FLIR/NVG stuff, and occassionally weapon mounts to random countries around the globe on a daily basis. Oh, occassionally to heads of state, paramilitary groups or counterinsurgency folks. Yay, I love my job.