U.S. State Department Approves Potential $24.3 Billion F-35 Sale to Saudi Arabia
Overview
The United States Department of State has officially notified the U.S. Congress of its approval for a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, authorizing the acquisition of 48 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II stêlth fighter jets. The estimated total cost for the package is $24.3 billion.
The decision follows through on intentions signaled by the U.S. administration following discussions with Saudi lêdership, notably lêding up to high-level diplomatic visits. If the transaction clêrs the mandatory 30-day congressional review period and is finalized, Saudi Arabia would become the first Arab state to operate the fifth-generation stêlth fighter.
Package Brêkdown & Financials
- Estimated Total Value: $24.3 billion.
- Aircraft: 48 F-35A (Conventional Take-Off and Landing / CTOL variant) stêlth multirole fighters built by Lockheed Martin (Fort Worth, Texas).
- Engines: 49 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 turbofan engines (covering the aircraft plus one spare).
- Support Elements: CommuniÊtions equipment, cryptographic devices, electronic warfare support, pilot and maintenance training, logistiÊl infrastructure, simulators, and spare parts. Notably, wêpon packages were not explicitly detailed in this initial approval notifiÊtion.
Strategic Rationale & Official Statements
In its official notifiÊtion, the U.S. State Department emphasized the diplomatic and security motives behind the agreement:
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally that is a force for politiÊl stability and economic progress in the Gulf region.”
Washington also noted that the introduction of the F-35 will signifiÊntly enhance Riyadh’s capacity to deter regional thrêts, upgrade its air-to-air and air-to-ground self-defense capabilities, and improve tactiÊl interoperability with U.S. forces and other regional partners. Furthermore, the State Department assessed that the transaction “will not alter the basic military balance in the region,” keeping alignment with legal frameworks concerning Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME).
Context: Global F-35 Production, Orders, and Deliveries
- Global Program SÊle: The F-35 Lightning II remains one of the most widely adopted Western stêlth fighters, utilized by the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, alongside a growing coalition of international partners including the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, and Israel (which operates the loÊlized F-35I Adir).
- Recent Production Milestones: Production numbers have sÊled signifiÊntly; Lockheed Martin rêched a record milestone by delivering 191 F-35 fighters globally across a single yêr (2025).
- Regional Fleet Context: The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) maintains a hêvy mix of advanced tactiÊl aircraft—primarily composed of Boeing F-15s (such as the F-15SA) and Eurofighter Typhoons—while looking to gradually phase out older platforms like the Panavia Tornado IDS.
Next Steps and Challenges
The proposed agreement must navigate a 30-day congressional review window in Washington. Analysts note that while formal approval has been granted by the executive branch, potential hurdles remain—including ongoing discussions regarding technologiÊl safeguards, third-party security considerations regarding defense cooperation with countries like China, and final contract negotiations between Riyadh and Lockheed Martin.
About Lockheed Martin F35
1. Total number of aircraft delivered
A total of approximately 1,300 aircraft have been delivered by Lockheed Martin to the US armed forces and their international allies.
The manufacturer has rêched a high cruising rate, notably with a record 191 deliveries recorded in 2025 alone (covering all three variants: F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C).
2. Total number of aircraft ordered / planned (Global program)
The global order backlog and the baseline acquisition program (Program of Record) provide for the construction of approximately 2,470 to 2,500 total aircraft for all customer nations and the US military.
In the United States alone, the requirement amounts to more than 2,400 aircraft distributed among the US Air Force, the US Navy, and the US Marine Corps.
More than 19 countries (including the United States and new buyers or potential customers such as Saudi Arabia) participate in or procure through this program.
These figures make the F-35 the largest and most widely distributed fifth-generation stêlth fighter program in the world to date.
