Saudi F-35 Deal: What It Means for Middle East Air Power
News Desk
Washington: Saudi Arabia is seeking to take a major step forward in the modernisation of its air force as the United States moves toward a potential sale of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to Riyadh.
The US State Department has approved a proposed $24.3 billion package for 48 F-35 aircraft, along with 49 Pratt & Whitney engines, communications equipment, spare parts and logistical support. The deal, however, still requires approval from the US Congress.
The proposed sale is significant not only because of its financial value, but because the F-35 is a fifth-generation fighter equipped with stealth technology, advanced sensors and networked combat capabilities.
A new capability for Riyadh
Saudi Arabia has pursued the F-35 for years as it seeks to modernise its military and respond to changing security challenges in the region.
The Royal Saudi Air Force currently operates a mixed fleet that includes American F-15s and European Tornado and Typhoon fighters. The addition of the F-35 would give Riyadh access to stealth technology and a different set of advanced surveillance and combat capabilities.
The planned acquisition also comes as Saudi Arabia pushes ahead with its wider military and economic transformation under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s **Vision 2030** programme.
Why the F-35 matters to Israel
The proposed transfer has another important dimension: Israel’s longstanding military advantage in the Middle East.
Washington has traditionally assessed major arms sales to Arab states against its commitment to maintaining Israel’s ‘qualitative military edge’, or QME.
Israel has operated the F-35 for roughly a decade and remains the only Middle Eastern country currently flying the aircraft. A Saudi acquisition would therefore introduce the fighter into another major regional military force.
The impact, however, would depend on several factors beyond the aircraft itself, including the weapons and systems supplied with them, software access, training, operational restrictions and delivery arrangements.
More than an aircraft deal
The proposed F-35 sale is also part of a much broader expansion of US-Saudi defence cooperation.
Washington has made arms sales to Riyadh a central element of the bilateral relationship. In 2025, the United States announced an arms and defence package for Saudi Arabia worth nearly $142 billion, described by the White House as the largest defence cooperation agreement in US history.
Saudi Arabia has simultaneously been seeking to modernise its armed forces and diversify its international defence partnerships while preserving its decades-old security relationship with Washington.
Against this backdrop, the F-35 proposal represents a potentially important development in the two countries’ strategic relationship.
What comes next?
The State Department’s approval does not mean the aircraft will immediately enter Saudi service. The proposed transaction must still go through the US congressional approval process before it can be finalised.
If approved, Saudi Arabia would join a very limited group of countries operating the F-35 and become only the second country in the Middle East to acquire the aircraft.
The proposed deal could consequently have implications beyond US-Saudi relations. It raises questions about the future distribution of advanced airpower in the region, Israel’s military advantage and the direction of Gulf states’ defence modernisation.
For Riyadh, the F-35 represents a potential new capability for its air force. For Washington, the proposed sale is another test of how far it can deepen defence ties with Saudi Arabia while maintaining its longstanding security commitments to Israel.
