The United States has approved a proposed $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, the State Department said Thursday. The transaction would be one of Riyadh’s largest recent arms purchases and must still be reviewed by US lawmakers.
The State Department said the aircraft would strengthen Saudi Arabia’s ability to deter threats, improve its homeland defence and increase interoperability with US forces. It also said the jets would expand the kingdom’s air-to-air and air-to-ground self-defence capabilities. No delivery timetable was provided.
Saudi Arabia has sought access to the F-35 for years. Israel, which is currently the only Middle Eastern country operating the aircraft, has previously raised concerns about a sale to Riyadh. The State Department said the proposed transaction would not change the military balance in the region, consistent with US policy that Israel retain a military advantage over potential regional adversaries.
The Saudi embassy in Washington welcomed the approval, saying the deal reflected the strength and enduring nature of the two countries’ relationship. It said bilateral security cooperation had contributed to regional stability and strengthened their shared defence capabilities.
The proposal also faces scrutiny over the protection of sensitive US technology. France 24 reported that US intelligence analysts have raised the possibility that China could obtain F-35 technology through partnerships with Saudi Arabia. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, opposed the sale, saying it could place advanced American military technology within reach of China.
The approval comes amid heightened security concerns involving Saudi Arabia. According to the State Department account cited by France 24, the kingdom has faced drone and missile attacks by Iran’s forces as well as strikes by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The United States has also approved several other Saudi arms purchases this year, including bombs, tank engines and equipment for converting rockets into precision weapons.