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The U.S. approved a potential $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia, pending congressional review.
The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. The deal still requires congressional review and could affect longstanding U.S. policies concerning Israel’s military advantage in the Middle East.
The proposed package includes 48 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft, 49 engines, communications equipment, spare parts and other support. The State Department said the sale would strengthen Saudi Arabia’s defense capabilities and improve its ability to operate alongside U.S. forces.
Saudi Arabia has sought the advanced stealth aircraft for years as it works to modernize its military and address regional security threats, particularly from Iran. If completed, the sale would make Saudi Arabia only the second country in the Middle East to operate the F-35 after Israel, according to the BBC and The New York Times.
The proposal is subject to congressional review, giving lawmakers 30 days to examine or attempt to block the transaction. Some members of Congress and U.S. officials have raised concerns about protecting sensitive F-35 technology, including the possibility that information could reach China through Saudi Arabia’s security relationship with Beijing.
The sale also raises questions about Washington’s longstanding commitment to preserving Israel’s “qualitative military edge,” a U.S. policy intended to ensure Israel retains superior military capabilities compared with other countries in the region. The State Department said the proposed transfer would not alter the regional military balance.
The proposed sale follows a broader expansion of U.S.-Saudi defense ties under President Donald Trump. In 2025, Washington and Riyadh announced an arms package valued at nearly $142 billion, which the White House described as the largest defense cooperation agreement in U.S. history.
Sources: Reuters, BBC, CNN, The New York Times and Al Jazeera.