Saudi Arabia Eyes F-35s: Trump’s Arms Deal Signals Shift in Mideast Power Dynamics

By Justin Sahlani , International Correspondent
Washington, D.C. – November 19, 2025

As the echoes of applause faded from the White House East Room, where President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shared a lavish state dinner on Monday evening, one announcement overshadowed the opulent chandeliers and diplomatic toasts: the U.S. greenlight for Saudi Arabia to acquire up to 48 F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets.

The deal, valued at an estimated $80 billion, marks a seismic pivot in American foreign policy, upending decades of caution toward arming Gulf allies amid Israel’s staunch opposition.

Trump, beaming beside the crown prince during a Rose Garden presser, dismissed lingering concerns with characteristic bravado.

“These are the best jets in the world—nobody builds ’em like we do,” he declared, slapping MBS on the back. “Saudi Arabia’s a great partner, tremendous partner.

What are the different kinds of F-35s?

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We’re talking jobs, security, peace through strength. Israel? They’ll be fine. Everybody wins.

” The president’s words were a direct rebuke to the “qualitative military edge” doctrine, a bipartisan U.S. commitment since the 1980s ensuring Israel’s technological superiority over its neighbors.

For Riyadh, it’s a coup long in the making; for Washington, a pragmatic bet on Saudi investment and countering Iranian influence.

The F-35 program, Lockheed Martin’s crown jewel, has long symbolized America’s aerospace dominance. Unveiled in the early 2000s, the Lightning II isn’t just a plane—it’s a networked battlefield marvel.

Who has F-35s?

Stealth coatings render it nearly invisible to radar, while an array of sensors—electro-optical targeting systems, infrared cameras, and distributed aperture systems—paint a 360-degree battlespace view for pilots.

“It’s like giving your air force X-ray vision and a cloaking device,” said Dr. Sarah Kline, an aerospace analyst at the RAND Corporation.

“The jet’s ALIS software fuses data in real-time, allowing seamless coordination with drones, satellites, and ground troops. In a hot conflict, that edge could decide who controls the skies.”

But the F-35 family isn’t one-size-fits-all. The conventional F-35A, Riyadh’s likely pick, boasts a 1,200-mile combat radius and can carry 18,000 pounds of ordnance internally to preserve stealth.

It’s the workhorse variant flown by the U.S. Air Force and allies like Australia and Japan. The F-35B, with its short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) capability, suits amphibious operations—think U.S. Marines storming beaches or Britain’s Queen Elizabeth carriers.

Then there’s the F-35C, a carrier-based beast for the Navy, folding wings and all. Israel, the program’s most vocal critic of the Saudi sale, operates a customized F-35I “Adir,” beefed up with homegrown electronic warfare suites and conformal fuel tanks for extended patrols over hostile airspace.

Why now for Saudi Arabia?

The kingdom’s air force, while formidable with aging F-15s and Typhoons, craves the F-35’s fifth-generation leap. “This isn’t about flashy hardware; it’s deterrence,” explained Riyadh-based military commentator Faisal Al-Mansour.

“Iran’s drone swarms and ballistic missiles demand a response that sees farther, strikes harder, and evades detection. The Houthis in Yemen proved our vulnerabilities—F-35s could rewrite that script.” Saudi jets have logged thousands of sorties against Houthi targets since 2015, but at a cost: Iranian-supplied missiles downed U.S.-made aircraft, exposing gaps in electronic defenses.

Geopolitics adds layers. MBS’s visit—his first to Washington since the 2018 Khashoggi murder scandal—signals a Trumpian thaw.

The crown prince, once persona non grata under Biden, arrived with promises of $100 billion in U.S. investments, from AI hubs in NEOM to energy tech in Aramco. In return? Arms and Abraham Accords enticements.

Trump dangled normalization with Israel as a carrot, though Riyadh balks without Palestinian statehood progress. “We’re close, very close,” Trump teased, ignoring Netanyahu’s reported fury over the jet sale.

Critics abound. On Capitol Hill, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) voiced qualms: “F-35s to Saudi? Bold move, Mr. President, but let’s not hand Tehran a propaganda win.”

Progressive Democrats like Rep. Ilhan Omar decried it as “fueling endless wars,” citing Yemen’s toll—over 377,000 dead by UN estimates.

Human Rights Watch urged Congress to scrutinize end-use, fearing jets in crowd-control roles. And Israel? Jerusalem’s embassy issued a terse statement: “We trust our unique partnership with the U.S. remains ironclad.”

Behind scenes, sources say Netanyahu lobbied hard, invoking shared intel on Hamas and Hezbollah.

Congress holds the veto pen. Under the Arms Export Control Act, lawmakers have 30 days to block sales exceeding $14 million.

Past rejections—Obama’s 2011 hold, Biden’s 2021 freeze—stemmed from Saudi Yemen ops and Khashoggi fallout.

But with Trump’s GOP majority, odds favor approval. Lockheed Martin, already churning out 156 jets yearly, salivates: the Saudi order could sustain Utah’s production line through 2030, safeguarding 1,800 jobs.

Globally, the ripple effects loom. The UAE, another aspirant, eyes its own tranche post-Abraham Accords.

Qatar and Kuwait, F-35 hopefuls, may follow. For the Middle East, it’s a stealthy escalation: air forces modernizing while ground wars simmer in Gaza and Sudan.

As MBS departed for New York—Wall Street beckons—analysts pondered the jet’s true payload. “This isn’t just metal and missiles,” Kline noted. “It’s a signal: America’s betting on Sunni Gulf muscle to balance the board.”

Trump, ever the dealmaker, framed it as legacy gold. “Biggest arms sale ever? Maybe. But it’s peace, folks—beautiful peace.”

Whether it soars or stalls, the F-35’s desert debut could redefine skies from the Persian Gulf to the Levant. For now, the Lightning II waits in hangars, engines humming for a kingdom on the rise.