22 CFR §121.1 Category II
USML Category II: Guns and Armament
USML Category II covers large-caliber weapons systems — artillery, mortars, recoilless rifles, crew-served weapons, and associated fire-delivery systems with a bore greater than .50 caliber. This category encompasses both the weapons themselves and specially designed components including mounts, carriages, and ammunition-handling equipment designed for these systems.
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Founder, ITAR Screen
Trenton is the founder of ITAR Screen and Gideon Dynamics. He built ITAR Screen to give defense contractors and dual-use exporters fast, auditable USML classification and denied-party screening without the complexity of enterprise compliance platforms.
Last reviewed:
Coverage
What Category II covers
USML Category II covers large-caliber weapons systems — artillery, mortars, recoilless rifles, crew-served weapons, and associated fire-delivery systems with a bore greater than .50 caliber. This category encompasses both the weapons themselves and specially designed components including mounts, carriages, and ammunition-handling equipment designed for these systems.
Common controlled items
- Howitzers (M198, M777) and self-propelled artillery systems
- Mortars of 60 mm, 81 mm, and 120 mm calibers (military specification)
- Recoilless rifles designed for anti-armor or infantry support
- Military flamethrowers and incendiary projection systems
- Grenade launchers with caliber greater than .50 inch
- Gun mounts, turrets, and traversing mechanisms for Category II weapons
- Ammunition feeders and hoists designed for military artillery systems
EAR / ECCN
EAR overlap
Some large-caliber sporting or commercial weapons components may fall under ECCN 0A602. However, virtually any weapon system designed or modified for military use with a bore exceeding .50 caliber will be ITAR-controlled under Category II rather than EAR.
Licensing
Typical license requirements
Exports require a DSP-5 license. Artillery transfers to foreign governments are also subject to Foreign Military Sales (FMS) review and Congressional notification thresholds under the Arms Export Control Act for major defense equipment.
Regulations
Key citations
22 CFR §121.1 Category II22 CFR §123 — Export Licenses for Defense Articles22 U.S.C. §2778 — Arms Export Control Act
Always verify against the current version of the USML (22 CFR Part 121) on the eCFR. ITAR Screen classifications are versioned against the USML reference at the time of the call.
Primary sources
- DDTC — 22 CFR Parts 120–130 (ITAR)
Official ITAR text administered by the State Dept. Directorate of Defense Trade Controls
- BIS — 15 CFR Parts 730–774 (EAR)
Export Administration Regulations, including the Commerce Control List (CCL)
- OFAC — Sanctions Programs and Country Information
Current SDN list, blocked persons, and active U.S. Treasury sanctions programs
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