Saudi F-35 sale gets US approval, awaits Congress

The United States has approved a proposed $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth warplanes to Saudi Arabia, the State Department said, but the deal still needs approval from US lawmakers.

The State Department notified Congress of the proposed sale on Thursday. It did not give a delivery timetable.

"The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia's capability to deter current and future threats by strengthening its homeland defense, and improving interoperability with US forces," the department said. It also said the sale would enhance Saudi air-to-air and air-to-ground self-defence capability and would not alter the military balance in the region.

Saudi Arabia has long sought F-35s. Israel, currently the only Middle Eastern country operating the jets, has voiced concern about a sale to Riyadh despite a US push for the kingdom to normalise relations with Israel.

The Saudi embassy in Washington welcomed the transaction, saying it reflected the strength of US-Saudi ties and that security cooperation had supported regional stability and shared security interests.

The approval comes during the Iran war and after several other US arms approvals for Riyadh this year. Earlier in September, the State Department approved a $5 billion sale of more than 10,000 bombs. This month it also approved a $750 million sale of tank engines and related equipment, after a $1.96 billion July deal for guidance sections that can convert rockets into precision weapons.

The New York Times reported that US intelligence analysts had raised concern that China could acquire F-35 technology through its partnerships with Riyadh. US Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, opposed the sale, saying it should not go ahead when intelligence warnings suggested the technology could come within reach of the Chinese Communist Party.

Washington has previously allowed F-35 sales only to close allies, including several European NATO allies and Israel. It removed Turkey from the F-35 program in 2019 after Ankara bought a Russian air defence system, raising fears that Moscow could acquire the plane's technology.