US Announces F-35 Sale to Saudi Arabia Ahead of Crown Prince Visit
The United States has announced plans to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. This announcement was made by President Donald Trump prior to a White House meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Crown Prince's visit marks his first to the White House since the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. A US intelligence assessment previously indicated that Prince Mohammed approved the operation leading to Khashoggi's death, an allegation the Crown Prince has denied.
Discussions and Previous Engagements
During Tuesday's meeting, President Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are expected to engage in discussions concerning defense agreements and civilian nuclear power initiatives. President Trump affirmed Saudi Arabia's status as an ally.
The Crown Prince's most recent visit to the US occurred in 2018, the same year Khashoggi was murdered in Istanbul. While former President Joe Biden did not host the Crown Prince and had previously labeled Saudi Arabia a "pariah" due to its human rights record, he did visit the country in 2022 to secure agreements on various issues, stating he addressed Khashoggi's murder during that meeting.
In May, President Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed previously met in Riyadh. This meeting resulted in an agreement for the US to sell approximately $142 billion (£107 billion) worth of arms to Saudi Arabia, which the White House characterized as the "largest defense sales agreement in history." This formed part of a broader $600 billion investment deal. Saudi Arabia is currently the largest purchaser of US weaponry.
F-35 Technology and Regional Concerns
The F-35 is recognized as the world's most advanced fighter jet. According to lead manufacturer Lockheed Martin, an F-35A jet costs an average of $82.5 million.
Concerns regarding a potential F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia have been raised by some American defense officials. They have expressed apprehension about Saudi Arabia gaining access to sensitive stealth technology, which could potentially be shared with China given an existing security partnership between the two nations. Officials in Israel have also voiced concerns, stating that such a deal could negatively affect Israel's military standing in the region. Israel is a key US ally in the Middle East and is currently the only country in the region operating F-35 aircraft.
Abraham Accords Initiative
President Trump is also anticipated to advocate for Saudi Arabia's adherence to the Abraham Accords, an initiative aimed at normalizing relations between Israel and Arab nations. Saudi Arabia has conditioned its participation on progress toward a Palestinian state, a condition currently not accepted by the Israeli government.