US approves $24.3bn sale of 48 F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia

The United States has approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth warplanes to Saudi Arabia, the State Department said on Thursday, marking the kingdom’s latest major arms purchase since the start of the Iran war.

State Department justification and response

In a statement, the State Department said the proposed sale “will improve Saudi Arabia’s capability to deter current and future threats by strengthening its homeland defense, and improving interoperability with US forces.” The statement added the sale “will also augment Saudi Arabia’s operational aircraft and enhance its air-to-air and air-to-ground self-defense capability.”

The department notified Congress about the proposed sale. Congressional approval is required, and the State Department did not provide a delivery time frame.

Reactions and regional context

The Saudi embassy in Washington praised the transaction, saying it “reflects the strength and enduring nature” of the relationship with the United States. The embassy added that security cooperation between the two countries “has contributed to regional stability, strengthened our collective defense capabilities, and advanced our shared security interests.”

The announcement comes amid heightened regional tensions. The report notes Saudi Arabia has been repeatedly targeted with drone and missile strikes by Tehran’s forces since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran in February, and has also been hit by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Yemen’s civil war, which had been dormant for years, reportedly reignited in July. The rebels declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and began targeting its ships in the Red Sea. A US official said earlier this week that an American military task force is working to enhance intelligence sharing and planning assistance for Saudi forces.

Israeli and other concerns

Israel, currently the only country in the Middle East to operate F-35s, has voiced concern about their sale to Riyadh amid diplomatic efforts toward normalisation.

The State Department said the F-35 sale “will not alter the military balance in the region,” citing longstanding US policy that Israel must retain a military edge.

Security and political objections

Washington has expressed concerns about potential Chinese espionage connected to the jets. The New York Times reported that US intelligence analysts raised the possibility that Beijing could acquire F-35 technology through its partnerships with Riyadh. US Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, said the sale should not proceed “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.”

The report also recalled that the United States has previously restricted F-35 sales. It noted Washington has allowed F-35 sales only to close allies, including European NATO members and Israel, and that the US removed Turkey from the F-35 programme in 2019 after Ankara bought a Russian air defence system.

Part of a wider wave of arms deals

The F-35 sale is the latest in a series of major arms approvals for Saudi Arabia this year. Earlier in September the State Department approved a $5 billion sale of more than 10,000 bombs, including 2,000-pound weapons. This month Washington also cleared the sale of 60 tank engines and related equipment for $750 million, and in July approved a $1.96 billion deal for guidance sections that can convert rockets into precision weapons.