Saudi Arabia is in line for $24 billion worth of F-35 fighter jets, cleared through a foreign military sale approved by the Trump administration. A foreign military sale is the formal government-to-government channel the United States uses to transfer defense equipment to allied nations, separate from commercial export contracts. Washington issued that approval while Riyadh is embroiled in a regional crisis set off by the war with Iran.
The F-35 is an advanced stealth combat aircraft, designed for air superiority in contested airspace and for precision strike missions. Gaining access to the platform is the direct benefit the deal delivers to Saudi Arabia.
The deal is a win for Riyadh. The kingdom is navigating the fallout from the Iran war, a conflict that has destabilized the broader region, and the Trump administration chose to approve a $24 billion defense package to Saudi Arabia in the middle of it.