US Clears $24.3B F-35 Deal For Saudi Arabia

By Staff, Agencies

The United States has approved a potential $24.3 billion arms package for Saudi Arabia, including 48 F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets, marking a major expansion of Washington’s military cooperation with Riyadh.

The US State Department said Thursday that the proposed deal also includes 49 Pratt & Whitney engines, communications equipment, spare parts, logistics and other support. Lockheed Martin manufactures the F-35.

The department said the sale would strengthen Saudi Arabia’s ability to deter what it described as current and future threats, while improving interoperability with US forces.

However, the approval is only a step in the Foreign Military Sales process and does not mean the aircraft have been delivered. The package must undergo congressional notification before moving toward contracts and eventual delivery.

If finalized, the deal would give the Saudi Air Force access to the F-35, a fifth-generation fighter built around stealth technology, advanced sensors and networked combat capabilities.

Saudi Arabia already operates a large fleet of US-made aircraft, including F-15 fighters, and has long ranked among Washington’s major arms customers in the region.

Previous sales have included Patriot and THAAD air-defense systems, Apache and Black Hawk helicopters, Abrams tanks and F-15SA aircraft.

The proposed deal comes as Riyadh faces heightened regional security concerns. A US State Department travel advisory issued on September 15 cited the risk of Iranian drone and missile attacks targeting American interests in the kingdom amid the wider regional conflict.

Despite the scale of the proposed transfer, Washington said the F-35 package would not alter the regional military balance.

The move nevertheless further deepens US-Saudi military ties as Washington expands defense cooperation with Gulf states amid escalating regional tensions.