Against the backdrop of the current edition of the World Defense Show, being held in Riyadh, Lockheed Martin and the United States are promoting the F-35 as Saudi Arabia’s future stealth fighter despite Israel’s opposition. As can be seen in photographs and videos posted on social media, an aircraft already bearing the insignia of the host nation’s air force has been sent for a static display on the ground, and the visit of Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Alison Dilworth—along with a military delegation representing Washington—has also been recorded.
Citing the official statement from the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh on the matter: “Chargé d’Affaires Alison Dilworth visited the U.S. team, including the F-35, at the World Defense Show, highlighting U.S. leadership in defense technology. The F-35 is an example of U.S. excellence and innovation, as well as our commitment to advancing security and collaboration in the region and around the world.“
It is useful to recall at this point that the United States has, for months, been signaling its intent to sell new fighters to Saudi Arabia in a deal that, while not yet finalized, would reportedly involve around 48 aircraft, according to prior reporting—at a cost of roughly $100 million per unit. The current U.S. president, Donald Trump, even stated last November during a press conference at the White House: “That’s what we’ll do. We’ll sell them F-35s.“ Moreover, it is public knowledge that the kingdom’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, visited Washington to discuss the potential purchase along with other high-level issues.
In the Republican president’s view, Saudi Arabia has consolidated itself as “a great ally” of the United States in the Middle East, which would enable the sale of the advanced combat aircraft. In addition, local reports indicated that this was an initiative also assessed by the Democratic administration of Joe Biden, suggesting—at least initially—that the move could have support on both sides of the U.S. political divide. The main opposition, however, would come from an Israel reluctant to share one of its key technological advantages with countries in the region—an important differentiator in potential future conflicts.
As an illustrative example of the issue, it is worth recalling that Israel also expressed reservations about the United States moving forward with proposals to equip Turkey with Lockheed Martin’s stealth fighter. Turkey originally participated in the F-35 program and was later excluded under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Specifically, the U.S. argument rests on the fact that Ankara operates Russian-made S-400 air defense systems, which are feared to be capable of collecting firsthand data on how to detect and engage the stealth aircraft; therefore, any attempt to reconsider Turkey’s incorporation of the fighter would require getting rid of those systems.
For now, should Saudi Arabia ultimately decide to acquire fifth-generation platforms, the Royal Saudi Air Force could move toward replacing its aging Tornado IDS aircraft as part of its modernization efforts. It would also gain a major complement to its existing Eurofighter Typhoon fleet, as well as to the F-15E and F-15SA fighters currently in service.
Image credits: U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia
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