Overview
- The State Department on Sept. 17 notified Congress of a proposed $24.3 billion foreign military sale that would let Saudi Arabia buy up to 48 F-35A jets and related support.
- The package the U.S. flagged includes 49 Pratt & Whitney F135 engines, secure communications, training, simulators, spare parts, and Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney as the principal contractors.
- The notification begins a statutory 30‑day congressional review but does not finalize the sale and allows lawmakers to pass a resolution to block the transfer subject to presidential veto rules.
- U.S. intelligence reports, including a Defense Intelligence Agency assessment reported by news outlets, warn China could seek access to F-35 technology through espionage or ties with Saudi infrastructure and telecom suppliers, and Israeli officials have raised concerns about preserving their qualitative military edge.
- If approved, deliveries would be years away because of production backlogs and the need for Saudi pilot and maintainer training, secure basing and classified-systems safeguards, while the move responds to Riyadh’s request for greater air capacity as Houthi and regional attacks have intensified.