Trump Administration Advances $24.3 Billion Sale of 48 F-35s to Saudi Arabia Despite China Concerns
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 18
Trump Administration Advances $24.3 Billion Sale of 48 F-35s to Saudi Arabia Despite China Concerns
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 18
Summary
$24.3 billion in F-35s and a spare engine was formally sent to Congress on Thursday, advancing the Trump administration’s plan to sell 48 of the stealth fighters to Saudi Arabia.
The State Department said the package would strengthen Saudi homeland defense and deter future threats, though production and delivery would take years.
U.S. intelligence agencies had warned internally that China could acquire or steal F-35 technology through Saudi military ties with Beijing, access by Chinese personnel to Saudi bases, and Chinese telecom and defense infrastructure.
If completed, the deal would make Saudi Arabia only the second Middle Eastern country to operate F-35s after Israel, underscoring both its strategic weight and the sensitivity of the technology.
Could selling the F-35 to Saudi Arabia inadvertently hand America's most guarded stealth secrets directly to Chinese intelligence?
Will this massive fighter jet deal force Riyadh to abandon its growing tech partnership with Beijing to secure American armor?
How can Washington protect Israel's regional military edge when stealth fighters operate near foreign telecommunications networks?
The $24.3 Billion F-35 Deal: U.S.-Saudi Security, Israeli Edge, and the China Espionage Dilemma
Overview
The proposed $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia in 2026 is a direct result of the U.S.-Saudi Strategic Defense Agreement signed in 2025, which granted Riyadh priority access to advanced American military technology. This deal aims to strengthen regional deterrence and military cooperation, but faces intense scrutiny in the U.S. Congress due to legal requirements to preserve Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge and serious concerns about Chinese espionage risks linked to Saudi bases and telecom networks. If blocked, Saudi Arabia may turn to alternatives like Turkey’s KAAN fighter, signaling a shift in regional defense partnerships and U.S. influence.