U.S. Clears $24.3B F-35 Sale to Saudi Arabia
Washington's approval of 48 stealth fighters to Riyadh tests a decades-old pledge to preserve Israel's military edge.
By The Defense Desk
The U.S. Department of State has approved the potential sale of 48 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in a deal estimated at $24.3 billion — a move that still requires congressional sign-off and carries significant geopolitical weight. [1]
The package would include 49 Pratt & Whitney engines, communications equipment, spare parts, and other support items. [1] Saudi Arabia, the largest customer for U.S. arms, made a direct appeal for the jets to President Donald Trump in early 2025 as part of broader efforts to modernize its air force and counter threats from Iran. [1]
The sale puts Washington's long-standing "qualitative military edge" doctrine under pressure. Israel has operated the F-35 for a decade, building multiple squadrons, and remains the only Middle Eastern country to possess the system. [1] Extending the aircraft to Riyadh would mark a significant policy shift from the U.S. [1]
Congressional scrutiny could complicate the path forward. Lawmakers previously questioned arms deals with Riyadh following the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and some members of Congress remain wary of deepening military cooperation with the kingdom. [1] The Biden administration explored providing F-35s to Saudi Arabia as part of a comprehensive deal that would have included Riyadh normalizing relations with Israel, though those efforts ultimately stalled. [1]
The approval lands at a moment when defense relationships in the region are being redrawn in real time — and where aircraft specifications carry diplomatic meaning well beyond their technical specs.
In 2025, the United States agreed to sell Saudi Arabia an arms package worth nearly $142 billion, which the White House called "the largest defense cooperation agreement" Washington has ever done. The F-35 deal, if passed by Congress, would extend that arc further still. [1]