Washington Approves Sale of F-35 Fighters to Riyadh

This deal is the latest in a series of major arms purchases by Saudi Arabia this year.

The US State Department announced that it has approved the sale of 48 F-35 aircraft and related equipment to Riyadh, in a deal valued at $24.3 billion.

The State Department said in a statement that "the proposed sale will enhance the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's ability to deter current and future threats, by strengthening its defense of its territory, and improving interoperability with US forces".

It added that it "will also enhance the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's fleet of operational aircraft, and improve its self-defense capabilities in air-to-air and air-to-ground combat".

The Saudi Embassy in Washington praised the deal, saying it "reflects the strength of the Saudi-American strategic partnership and its steadfast nature," adding that security cooperation between the two countries has contributed "to enhancing regional stability and strengthening our joint defense capabilities and advancing our mutual security interests".

The State Department notified Congress of the proposed deal, which requires the approval of US lawmakers. The department did not specify the timeline for the delivery of the aircraft, which are produced by Lockheed Martin.

The department stressed that the proposed deal "will not alter the military balance in the region".

Washington removed Turkey from the F-35 program in 2019, after Ankara's purchase of Russia's S-400 air defense system raised concerns that Moscow could obtain technology for the aircraft, which is one of the most advanced in the world.

President Donald Trump said during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July that Washington would consider selling the aircraft to Ankara, without making a final decision.

Riyadh has concluded a series of military deals with Washington this year.

In September, the State Department announced approval of a $5 billion deal to enhance Saudi air defense capabilities, including more than 10,000 bombs, some weighing 2,000 pounds.

This month, it also approved the sale of 60 tank engines and related equipment to Saudi Arabia for $750 million, following a July deal worth $1.96 billion to sell missile guidance systems that enable missiles to be converted into precision missiles.