The U.S. government approved on Thursday the sale to Saudi Arabia of 48 next-generation F-35 combat aircraft and related equipment at an estimated cost of $24.3 billion, a deal announced at a time when Riyadh faces a complex security landscape due to the war against Iran and Houthi offensives.
The 48 aircraft correspond to the A variant, which has conventional takeoff and landing capability, according to details provided by the State Department in a statement.
The package also includes 49 Pratt & Whitney F-135-PW-100 engines, one spare and the remaining 48 installed in the fighter jets.
Also included are other items in the form of support equipment, such as communications devices, electronic warfare systems, software, ammunition support equipment and spare parts, as well as support services.
"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of an important non-NATO ally, which is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region," the State Department explained in a statement.
The acquisition promises to enhance Saudi Arabia's deterrent capabilities and interoperability with U.S. forces and other regional and NATO actors, Washington emphasized.
Developed by Lockheed Martin with support from Northrop Grumman and British firm BAE Systems, the F-35 is a fifth-generation stealth fighter and the most sophisticated operational combat aircraft in the United States.
The green light given by Washington comes at a time of growing complexity for the Saudi Armed Forces, as the regional confrontation linked to Iran now overlaps with an escalating Houthi threat from Yemen that endangers its territory, energy infrastructure and oil export routes.
