The State Department has approved a potential $24.3 billion sale to Saudi Arabia for 48 F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter jet and related equipment, the agency said in a news release, as the critical U.S. ally confronts a new front in the war with Iran.
Saudi Arabia has long pursued the F-35’s but to date Israel has been the only country in the Middle East to secure access to Lockheed Martin’s fighter jet considered the most lethal, stealthy and survivable aircraft in the world.
“The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the military balance in the region,” the State Department said in a news release.
Saudi Arabia accuses Houthis of targeting Mecca
Congress was officially notified Thursday of the possible transfer of the advanced military aircraft to Saudi Arabia and some lawmakers have already raised concerns that the technology behind it could be acquired or stolen by China, which has a military partnership with the kingdom.
“The Trump Administration should not move forward with its proposed sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia 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,” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., said in a social media post. “Beijing has spent decades stealing American intellectual property and technology to close the gap with the United States, and we must not help them do it. We must not sell our most advanced fighter jet anywhere the CCP may be able to get its hands on the technology inside it.”
On Wednesday, The New York Times cited U.S. officials as saying that intelligence analysts had raised the possibility that China could get F-35 technology by spying in Saudi Arabia or through its partnership with the kingdom.
Previous arms sales to Saudi Arabia, including one for $110 billion proposed by the Trump administration during President Donald Trump’s first term, also faced scrutiny by Congress after the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post.
In his second term, the Trump administration prioritized weapons sales to the Kingdom as the largest recipient of U.S. arms. The approval of F-35 shipment follows Saudi Arabia’s agreement to purchase $142 billion in military equipment and services from the U.S. during Trump’s May 2025 trip to Riyadh — the largest defense sales package in history.
“President Trump has made clear that Saudi Arabia is an anchor for regional security, and increased capabilities for the Saudi armed forces benefits the security of the United States and the wider region,” a State Department spokesperson said. “The sale strengthens the U.S. defense industrial base and ensures Saudi Arabia continues to buy American.”
Saudi Arabia has been fighting to turn back the advancements of the Iran backed Yemen rebel group the Houthis who have been launching drone and missile strikes into the Kingdom as they work to secure a critical shipping route in the Red Sea.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has urged Trump to take military action against the Houthis, NBC News previously reported, but so far, the U.S. has declined to join in military strikes.
The State Department declined to provide a timeline for a possible shipment of the military aircraft but a spokesperson said the U.S. is committed to “further strengthening the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s capabilities to deter regional threats, protect its borders, and contribute to regional stability.”
“The proposed F-35 sale reflects the strength and enduring nature of the Saudi-U.S. strategic partnership and the continued advancement of our defense cooperation,” the Saudi Embassy in Washington said in a social media post. “For decades, Saudi-U.S. security cooperation has contributed to regional stability, strengthened our collective defense capabilities, and advanced our shared security interests.”
