U.S. President Donald Trump considers Saudi Arabian request to purchase 48 F-35 Fighter jets as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits Washington [Image by The Post News]
(The Post News) – The Trump administration is weighing a Saudi Arabian request to purchase as many as 48 F-35 stealth fighter jets in a potential deal worth tens of billions of dollars, people familiar with the matter said. The move could reshape Middle East defence dynamics and challenge Washington’s long-standing policy of preserving Israel’s “qualitative military edge.”
Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia directly appealed to President Donald Trump with a renewed expression of its years-long interest in the world’s most advanced combat aircraft: Lockheed Martin’s F-35. The Pentagon has already cleared an initial review of such a sale, bumping the proposal up to the secretary level for further consideration.
One senior US defence official described the process as still ongoing. Final approval will require Cabinet-level authorization, Trump’s sign-off and formal notification to Congress.
The Pentagon, White House and State Department all declined to comment. A spokesperson at Lockheed Martin would only confirm that such deals are transacted directly between governments.
Strategic Stakes in the Middle East
The sale, if approved, would represent a historic pivot in U.S. defence policy and perhaps alter the regional balance of power. Currently, Israel is the only Mideast nation flying the fifth-generation F-35, which touts stealth and advanced combat capabilities.
Saudi Arabia – already the largest U.S. arms customer – wants to upgrade its air force against Iranian threats, as well as to boost national defenses under the Vision 2030 plan of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. The country’s fleet currently consists of F-15s, Tornados, and Eurofighter Typhoons.
Policy, Politics, and Pushback
A final deal is still subject to congressional approval, which could yet block any agreement. Lawmakers have expressed opposition to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and its involvement in the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Previous arms sales have faced bipartisan opposition.
The Trump administration, however, has made arms exports a centerpiece of its foreign policy. In May, Washington approved a $142 billion defence package for Saudi Arabia, which it called the largest U.S.-Saudi security agreement in history.
Analysts said the successful sale of F-35s would deepen military ties between Washington and Riyadh, and would be a test of the limits of U.S. policy in the Middle East.
The F-35 pursuit by Riyadh follows its efforts to diversify defence partnerships without sacrificing strong security relations with the U.S. The kingdom is looking at localization of arms manufacturing and building advanced capabilities under its Vision 2030 strategy. This potential F-35 sale, among other defense cooperation, is likely to fill discussions as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shows up in Washington.
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