DE News Desk :
The United States has approved a landmark arms deal with Saudi Arabia valued at nearly $142 billion, making it the largest defense cooperation agreement in American history, the White House confirmed on Tuesday.
Signed during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Riyadh, the comprehensive deal spans agreements with over a dozen American defense contractors and covers key sectors such as air and missile defense, air force modernization, maritime security, space technology, and military communications.
“This agreement represents a historic commitment to deepening our defense partnership with Saudi Arabia,” a White House fact sheet stated.
“It is the largest defense cooperation deal the United States has ever signed.”
Reuters had previously reported that the package would exceed $100 billion, with final terms pushing the total value significantly higher.
Saudi Arabia remains the top purchaser of U.S. arms globally, solidifying its status as Washington’s most significant defense client in the Middle East.
The deal comes amid shifting diplomatic dynamics in the region. Former U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration had attempted, unsuccessfully, to secure a broader security arrangement with Riyadh that included Saudi normalization of relations with Israel.
The fact sheet did not clarify whether the deal includes the long-coveted F-35 fighter jets built by Lockheed Martin, which Saudi Arabia has been pursuing for several years.
Two sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters that while the F-35 was a subject of recent talks, U.S. approval for such a transfer remains uncertain.
One of the sources noted that any potential F-35 sale would have to navigate Washington’s long-standing commitment to ensuring Israel’s qualitative military edge (QME)—a policy that guarantees Israel access to more advanced U.S. weaponry than other states in the region.
Israel has operated the F-35 since 2016 and has integrated several squadrons into its air force, maintaining an exclusive edge in stealth fighter capabilities across the Middle East.
If authorized, Saudi Arabia would become only the second country in the region after Israel to acquire the fifth-generation stealth aircraft.