US clears possible $24.3 bn sale of F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia; why is the plan controversial?

The United States has approved a possible sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets and related equipment to Saudi Arabia for an estimated $24.3 billion, the US State Department said on Thursday.

The State Department, in a notification to Congress dated September 17, said it had approved the possible Foreign Military Sale of 48 F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft and 49 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines, including one spare.

The F-35 is a stealth multirole fighter developed by Lockheed Martin. The proposed Saudi purchase would make the kingdom the second operator of the aircraft in the Middle East if the sale is completed, after Israel.

Saudi Arabia has sought for years to acquire the F-35, one of the world's most advanced fighter aircraft, which uses stealth technology to make it harder for enemy radar and other detection systems to identify.

Washington had resisted Riyadh's requests in part because the US supplies F-35s to Israel, which under US law is guaranteed to maintain a "qualitative military edge" over other countries in West Asia.

The proposed package includes secure communications, precision navigation and cryptographic equipment, electronic warfare database support, spare parts, training equipment and simulators, software, technical documentation and logistics support.

The State Department said the sale would support US foreign policy and national security objectives by strengthening the security of Saudi Arabia, which it described as a major non-NATO ally and a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region.

The proposed sale would strengthen Saudi Arabia's homeland defence, improve its ability to deter current and future threats and increase interoperability with US, regional and NATO forces, the department said.

It would also augment Saudi Arabia's operational aircraft and enhance its air-to-air and air-to-ground self-defence capabilities.

The notification insisted that the proposed sale "will not alter the military balance in the region".

The deal will now face a 30-day congressional review period during which lawmakers can scrutinise the proposed sale and seek to block it.

Some US lawmakers and defence officials have raised concerns about the potential transfer of sensitive F-35 technology to China, citing Saudi Arabia's security partnership with Beijing.

Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois warned that the deal "could put the crown jewels of American military technology within reach of the Chinese Communist Party".

“Beijing has spent decades stealing American intellectual property and technology to close the gap with the United States, and we must not help them do it,” he posted on X.

The principal contractors for the proposed sale are Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company of Fort Worth, Texas, and Pratt & Whitney Military Engines of East Hartford, Connecticut.

The State Department also said the deal would have no adverse impact on US defence readiness.