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The United States has approved a proposed $24.3 billion arms deal to sell 48 F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, marking one of the kingdom’s largest military purchases in recent years.
The State Department announced the approval on Thursday, saying the deal would strengthen Saudi Arabia’s defence capabilities and improve cooperation with US forces. The sale comes as Riyadh seeks to expand its military capacity following a period of heightened regional tensions linked to the Iran conflict and attacks by Iran-backed groups.
“The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia’s capability to deter current and future threats by strengthening its homeland defence, and improving interoperability with US forces,” the State Department said in a statement.
The department added that the aircraft would “augment Saudi Arabia’s operational aircraft and enhance its air-to-air, and air-to-ground self-defence capability.”
The proposed sale has been submitted to the US Congress for review and would require lawmaker approval to proceed. No timeline has been announced for delivery of the aircraft.
Saudi Arabia has pursued access to the F-35 programme for years, but the possible sale has faced scrutiny from Israel, the only country in the Middle East currently operating the advanced fighter jets. Israeli officials have previously expressed concerns that transferring the aircraft to Riyadh could affect Israel’s long-standing military advantage in the region.
The State Department said the agreement “will not alter the military balance in the region,” maintaining Washington’s policy that Israel should retain a qualitative military edge over potential regional adversaries.
The proposed Saudi deal has also drawn opposition from some US lawmakers over concerns about possible Chinese access to F-35 technology. US Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, warned that the sale should not proceed if it could expose sensitive American military systems.
“It should not go ahead when our own intelligence community is warning that it could put the crown jewels of American military technology within reach of the Chinese Communist Party,” Krishnamoorthi said.
The F-35 agreement follows several other major US arms approvals for Saudi Arabia this year, including a $5 billion deal for more than 10,000 bombs, a $750 million sale of tank engines and equipment, and a $1.96 billion agreement involving precision-guidance systems for rockets.
Saudi Arabia has faced repeated drone and missile attacks from Iran-backed forces, including Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The United States has not directly entered the conflict but has increased military cooperation with Riyadh through intelligence sharing and planning support.
The proposed fighter jet sale now moves into the congressional review process as Washington balances regional security partnerships with concerns about protecting advanced military technology.
