US considering Saudi Arabia’s request to buy F-35 jets

WASHINGTON, D.C: The United States is considering a Saudi Arabian request to buy as many as 48 F-35 fighter jets as part of a potential multi-billion-dollar deal, Reuters reported.

Saudi Arabia made a direct appeal earlier this year to US President Donald Trump and has long been interested in Lockheed Martin’s fighter, one of the people and a US official said.

The Pentagon is now weighing a potential sale of 48 of the advanced aircraft, the US official and the person familiar with the talks told Reuters.

The new agency further reported that the US official and a second US official said no final decision has been made and several more steps are needed before the ultimate nod, including “further approvals at the Cabinet level, sign-off from Trump, and notification of Congress.”

It further reported that the Pentagon’s policy department worked on the potential transaction for months, and the case has now progressed to the secretary level within the Defense Department.

A Lockheed Martin spokesperson said military sales are government-to-government transactions and the matter is best addressed by Washington, Reuters added.

The F-35, built with stealth technology that allows it to evade enemy detection, is considered the world’s most advanced fighter jet.

Saudi Arabia, the largest customer for US arms, has sought the fighter for years as it looks to modernise its air force and counter regional threats, particularly from Iran.

The Saudi Air Force flies a mix of fighter aircraft, including Boeing F-15s, European Tornados, and Typhoons.

In May, the United States agreed to sell the kingdom an arms package worth nearly $142 billion, which the White House called “the largest defence cooperation agreement” Washington has ever done.