Trump Administration Reviews Saudi Request for Up to 48 F-35A Fighters, Sources Say

Saudi Arabia’s latest request for F-35 fighters is now in formal review in Washington, and U.S. officials are examining a proposed sale of up to 48 aircraft. According to industry sources, the case cleared initial Pentagon vetting and reached the secretary level. The draft package would cover two squadrons of F-35A for the Royal Saudi Air Force, plus weapons, training and support.

The review runs alongside preparations for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s U.S. visit on November 18. Officials say Saudi envoys renewed the F-35 request in direct talks with President Donald Trump earlier this year, after he put large defense exports at the center of his Middle East policy. The case still needs Cabinet-level approvals, a decision from Trump and formal notification to Congress under the Arms Export Control Act.

Riyadh’s push follows a broader defense package that Washington and Saudi Arabia announced in May, valued at about $142 billion. The White House called it the largest U.S. defense cooperation deal yet. That package covers air and missile defense systems and upgrades across Saudi forces but excludes the F-35, which Saudi Arabia has pursued on a separate track for years and has now brought into a formal acquisition case.

Saudi planners want the same F-35A variant flown by the U.S. Air Force and most other buyers. The Lockheed Martin-built jet is in service with more than a dozen air arms and has seen combat under U.S., Israeli and British control.

Israeli qualitative military edge and limits on Middle East F-35 sales

The Saudi case runs up against the U.S. legal commitment to preserve Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region. Israel remains the only Middle Eastern operator of the jet, under the F-35I “Adir” designation, and has 75 aircraft on order. Its air force flies two front-line squadrons plus jets for test and training. Israeli F-35s carry national mission systems and weapons and have been used repeatedly against Iranian and proxy targets.

U.S. officials have signaled any Saudi F-35s would arrive in a configuration below the Israeli standard. They point to tighter limits on electronic warfare options, weapons integration and access to software. Defense officials confirm that the next-generation AIM-260 air-to-air missile is not planned for the Saudi package. A formal qualitative edge review still has to be completed before the administration can send a notification to Congress.

Israeli officials have responded cautiously, pressing Washington for additional F-35I aircraft and advanced munitions in return. They also want clear limits on where and how Saudi F-35s could operate. Political figures in Israel continue to link any full endorsement of a Saudi deal to progress on normalization under an expanded Abraham Accords framework, and Riyadh keeps its own conditions tied to the Palestinian issue.

Officials involved in the Saudi talks point to the experience of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi secured approval in 2020 for up to 50 F-35A jets, MQ-9B drones and weapons in a package worth about $23 billion, tied to its normalization agreement with Israel. That deal stalled over concerns in Washington about Chinese technology in Emirati networks and disagreements over end-use conditions, and has yet to move forward. Saudi officials are watching that precedent closely.

Saudi fighter fleet and alternatives Typhoon Rafale F-15EX

The Royal Saudi Air Force already operates a large modern fighter fleet. It flies 84 new-build F-15SA strike fighters and about 68 earlier F-15S aircraft upgraded domestically to the F-15SR standard, all equipped with active electronically scanned array radars and expanded weapons carriage. The air force also fields 72 Eurofighter Typhoons from the United Kingdom and around 80 Panavia Tornado IDS jets that still fly strike missions despite age and rising maintenance demands, including in the Yemen campaign and air defense patrols.

The aging Tornado fleet is the most likely replacement target. British and Saudi officials spent years working on a follow-on order for 48 additional Typhoons, but Eurofighter exports require consent from all partner nations and Germany has blocked new approvals for Saudi Arabia since 2018 over human rights and Yemen. London has pushed Berlin to ease that stance without success, and the second Typhoon batch remains on hold.

France moved to fill that gap. Dassault Aviation entered talks with Riyadh over a possible sale of 54 Rafale fighters after Saudi officials asked for a detailed pricing and configuration proposal in late 2023. French officials say the discussions remain active.

Boeing is promoting the F-15EX Eagle II. The RSAF’s existing F-15 infrastructure and training base make the EX a relatively low-risk step. In 2024, a company spokesperson said, “The F-15EX is the right fit adding capability for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) as the country seeks to accelerate its armed forces modernization… We are ready to support our longtime and valued customers in Saudi Arabia with the most capable air superiority aircraft in production today.”

Riyadh has also explored newer fighter projects. South Korea has invited Saudi participation in the KF-21 Boramae program, offering industrial work and joint development roles. Turkish officials have discussed potential Saudi involvement in the KAAN effort since Ankara wants partners for its next-generation fighter.

Congressional review and human rights objections to Saudi F-35 transfer

Any Saudi F-35 sale will face scrutiny on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers from both parties have opposed past Saudi arms deals after the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and over the conduct of the Yemen war, and several resolutions to block transfers have come close to passing. Members already signal they will examine the fighter package in detail, focusing on human rights concerns, end-use monitoring and the risk of sensitive technology reaching third countries.

Technology security concerns tied to China and regional reactions

Inside the U.S. government, security officials remain wary about protecting F-35 technology from Chinese intelligence and cyber threats, especially if Riyadh deepens cooperation with Beijing in telecommunications or air defense systems. Those worries featured prominently in the debate over the Emirati F-35 case and now inform conditions under review for Saudi Arabia, including tighter controls on software, data links and maintenance arrangements.

Neighbors are already factoring a possible Saudi F-35 fleet into their planning. Iran is moving to strengthen its air defenses and has pursued additional fighters from Russia and China. Other Gulf states see value in a Saudi force that can operate alongside U.S. stealth units, but they also watch how their own fleets compare if Riyadh fields a fifth-generation type. Israel has quietly requested further F-35I aircraft and specialized munitions if the Saudi sale proceeds and has asked Washington to manage basing and training plans to avoid friction over shared airspace.

Our analysis shows an F-35 sale would tie Washington and Riyadh to decades of shared training, sustainment and upgrade work tied to the aircraft, even if Saudi Arabia keeps other fighter options open through European and Asian partners. The case now turns on congressional review, configuration limits meant to preserve Israel’s edge and Trump’s final decision.

Trump Administration Reviews Saudi Request for Up to 48 F-35A Fighters, Sources Say

Israeli qualitative military edge and limits on Middle East F-35 sales

Saudi fighter fleet and alternatives Typhoon Rafale F-15EX

Congressional review and human rights objections to Saudi F-35 transfer

Technology security concerns tied to China and regional reactions

REFERENCE SOURCES

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