The administration of United States President Donald Trump has approved a proposed sale of 48 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in a deal estimated at $24.3 billion.
The US State Department announced the approval on Thursday, September 17, saying the proposed sale would strengthen Saudi Arabia’s ability to defend itself against current and future threats and improve its interoperability with US forces and other regional and NATO partners.
However, the agreement is not yet final. The State Department has formally notified the US Congress, which has the opportunity to review and potentially block the proposed transaction.
The package would include 48 F-35 aircraft, 49 Pratt & Whitney engines, including one spare, as well as communications equipment, spare parts, training, logistics and other support systems.
The F-35 is a fifth-generation multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin and is equipped with stealth capabilities and advanced sensors and avionics.
Saudi Arabia has long sought to acquire the aircraft. The proposed sale would make the kingdom the first Arab country to receive the F-35 if the agreement ultimately proceeds. Israel is currently the only country in the Middle East operating the aircraft.
The proposed transaction comes at a time of heightened military tensions across the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia is currently involved in fighting involving Houthi forces in Yemen, while the wider region has been affected by the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States and other regional actors.
The announcement followed a reported Houthi claim that it had shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib in Yemen. The Houthis released footage purporting to show wreckage of the aircraft, although the circumstances surrounding the incident remain contested.
The United States said the proposed F-35 sale would “not alter the military balance” in the Middle East. The statement reflects Washington’s longstanding policy of maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge over other regional countries.
The proposed Saudi acquisition has nevertheless attracted scrutiny in Washington and Israel.
US intelligence officials have reportedly raised concerns about the possibility of sensitive F-35 technology being exposed to China because of Saudi Arabia’s expanding relationship with Beijing.
Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democratic member of the US House Intelligence Committee, has publicly expressed concerns about the potential security implications of the sale. His objections are based partly on concerns about Chinese access to sensitive military technology through Saudi infrastructure and partnerships.
Saudi Arabia, however, has welcomed the US approval.
The Saudi embassy in Washington described the proposed sale as reflecting the strength and enduring nature of the defence relationship between Riyadh and Washington. The embassy said Saudi-US security cooperation had contributed to regional security and strengthened their shared defence capabilities.
The transaction would also represent an important expansion of Saudi Arabia’s military aviation capabilities. The Royal Saudi Air Force already operates a large fleet of American-made F-15 aircraft, while the F-35 would introduce advanced stealth and sensor capabilities to its inventory.
Despite the State Department approval, the aircraft would not be delivered immediately even if Congress approves the deal. The sale would still require final contractual arrangements, production scheduling and other implementation steps, meaning delivery would take years rather than occur immediately.
The proposed sale also comes as Washington seeks to strengthen its security relationship with Riyadh while managing broader tensions in the Gulf.
For Saudi Arabia, the acquisition is part of its wider effort to modernise its armed forces and strengthen its ability to respond to regional security threats.
For the United States, the proposed deal reinforces its defence relationship with a major Gulf partner while raising questions about technology security and the longstanding requirement that Israel retain a qualitative military advantage in the region.
The next major stage will therefore be congressional review. Until that process is completed, the $24.3 billion F-35 agreement remains a proposed sale rather than a completed transfer of the aircraft.
