The Trump administration began reviewing Riyadh’s appeal earlier in 2025, with discussions reaching the secretary level after months of interagency work.

The potential deal surfaces ahead of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s planned U.S. visit, underscoring deepening defense cooperation under Trump’s renewed outreach to Gulf partners.

Pentagon Advances Stealth-Jet Proposal

U.S. officials confirmed the request to buy 48 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft—enough for two Royal Saudi Air Force squadrons—has cleared a major Pentagon hurdle.

The Defense Department’s policy office completed its review, sending the case for higher-level consideration, though final approval still requires Cabinet-level sign-off, presidential authorization, and Congressional notification.

Neither the Pentagon, White House, nor State Department commented, while Lockheed said all F-35 exports are government-to-government.

Balancing Israel’s “Qualitative Edge”

Washington’s arms-transfer policy mandates Israel retain a “qualitative military edge,” ensuring it fields more advanced U.S. systems than its neighbors.

Israel, which has flown the F-35 for nearly 10 years and operates several squadrons, remains the only Middle Eastern user.

Any Saudi acquisition would therefore represent a regional first, potentially altering the balance of airpower from the Levant to the Gulf.

Strategic And Political Dimensions

Riyadh—already the largest U.S. arms customer—seeks to modernize its air force of F-15s, Tornados, and Typhoons under Vision 2030.

The administration in May 2025 approved a broader $142 billion defense cooperation package, billed by the White House as the biggest in U.S. history.

Congressional scrutiny could still complicate the process: lawmakers critical of ties with Riyadh after journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s 2018 murder remain wary of deepening defense trade.

A prior attempt under the Biden administration to link F-35s to a Saudi-Israel normalization deal failed, but Trump’s team has revived direct defense negotiations.