Overview
- Saudi Arabia has requested up to 48 F-35s, which would make it the first Arab state and the only Middle Eastern country besides Israel to field the jets.
- Talks in Washington are expected to feature agreements on a civilian nuclear cooperation framework and multibillion‑dollar Saudi investment in U.S. technology, including AI infrastructure.
- The sale must clear U.S. arms‑export procedures and congressional review, with concerns focused on preserving Israel’s qualitative military edge and protecting sensitive technology from potential Chinese access.
- Israeli officials have signaled they could accept an F-35 sale if tied to Saudi normalization with Israel, while Riyadh has linked normalization to progress toward a Palestinian state.
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit—his first since U.S. intelligence concluded he approved the capture or killing of Jamal Khashoggi—includes a full day of White House events and discussions on possible U.S. security assurances.