22 CFR §121.1 Category XX
USML Category XX: Submersible Vessels, Oceanographic and Associated Equipment
USML Category XX covers military submarines, submersible vehicles, and oceanographic equipment specifically designed for military applications — including combat submarines, mini-submarines, swimmer delivery vehicles (SDVs), and associated propulsion, navigation, sonar, and countermeasure systems. The category also captures non-acoustic detection systems, combat systems integration equipment, and hull treatment technologies designed for submarine acoustic signature reduction.
Reviewed by
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 XX covers
USML Category XX covers military submarines, submersible vehicles, and oceanographic equipment specifically designed for military applications — including combat submarines, mini-submarines, swimmer delivery vehicles (SDVs), and associated propulsion, navigation, sonar, and countermeasure systems. The category also captures non-acoustic detection systems, combat systems integration equipment, and hull treatment technologies designed for submarine acoustic signature reduction.
Common controlled items
- Nuclear-powered attack and ballistic missile submarines
- Conventional diesel-electric and air-independent propulsion submarines
- Special operations forces swimmer delivery vehicles (SDVs)
- Military autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) with weapons integration
- Anechoic and acoustic damping hull treatment systems
- Submarine combat management and fire control systems
- Low-acoustic signature propulsion systems for military submersibles
EAR / ECCN
EAR overlap
Commercial research submersibles and oceanographic equipment not meeting military specifications may fall under EAR ECCN 8A620 or 8A002. Acoustic suppression technologies and non-acoustic detection systems specifically designed to reduce military submarine signatures are ITAR-controlled regardless of apparent civilian research applications.
Licensing
Typical license requirements
DSP-5 licenses required. Submarine technology transfers are among the most sensitive in U.S. defense trade, subject to Congressional notification, intelligence community review, and extensive end-use monitoring requirements. AUKUS and similar arrangements involve special treaty-based authorization frameworks.
Regulations
Key citations
22 CFR §121.1 Category XX22 CFR §123 — Export Licenses22 U.S.C. §2796 — Restrictions on Naval Vessel transfers
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
Classify a product
Does your product fall under Category XX?
Results include USML citation, risk level, and EAR cross-check
Ready to classify your Category XX product?
USML citations, risk levels, EAR cross-check, and a 10-year screening record — in seconds.
View pricing