The U.S. State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of up to 48 F-35A Lightning II fighters to Saudi Arabia in a deal valued at about $24.3 billion. The package also covers 49 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines, with 48 to be installed and one spare, alongside communications gear, spare parts, simulators, training, software and logistics support.
The notification names Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and Pratt & Whitney Military Engines as the principal contractors. If completed, the sale would make Saudi Arabia the first Arab country and the second Middle Eastern operator of the F-35 after Israel, a development that has drawn scrutiny because of Israel’s qualitative military edge.
The proposal remains subject to a 30-day congressional review under the Arms Export Control Act and can still be blocked. The notice said the sale would not require additional U.S. personnel in Saudi Arabia and would not alter the military balance in the region. One report indicated deliveries are unlikely before 2029, with full operational capability expected years later.