*

Drones treated like fighter jets, bypassing

missile-control

agreement prohibitions

*

Unlocks sale of over 100 MQ-9 drones to Saudi Arabia

*

Drone makers General Atomics, Kratos, and Anduril expected

to

benefit

Sept 15 (Reuters) - The United States can export

"Reaper"-style and other advanced military drones more easily

following a reinterpretation of its export control policies

approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department

announced on Monday.

Drones will now be treated like fighter jets, such as the

F-16, rather than missile systems, allowing the U.S. to sidestep

the 35-nation Missile Technology Control Regime agreement it

signed in 1987 and enabling drone sales to countries like the

UAE and Eastern European nations that have struggled to acquire

America's best unmanned aerial vehicles.

More immediately, the change unlocks the sale of more than

100 MQ-9 drones to Saudi Arabia, which the kingdom requested in

the spring of this year and could be part of a $142 billion arms

deal announced in May. U.S. allies in the Pacific and Europe

have also expressed interest.

The new policy lets large drone manufacturers General

Atomics, Kratos, and Anduril have their products

treated as "foreign military sales" by the State Department,

allowing them to be easily sold internationally.

The MTCR agreement was signed to curb long-range missile

sales, and military drones that proliferated years later were

considered to be covered by the agreement because they can fly

far and carry weapons.

U.S. drone manufacturers are facing stiff competition

overseas, especially from Israeli, Chinese and Turkish rivals

who often sell under lighter or no restrictions.