ISLAMABAD: In a move that underscores the evolving contours of UnitedStates foreign policy under President Donald Trump, reports indicate thatthe administration is poised to greenlight the sale of advanced F-35stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. This decision, first highlighted byBloomberg News, comes amid mounting concerns within Washington’sintelligence community over the potential for sensitive military technologyto be compromised by Chinese entities, given Riyadh’s deepening securityand economic partnerships with Beijing.
The prospective deal, valued potentially in the tens of billions ofdollars, represents a significant escalation in the arming of Gulf allies,with implications rippling across the Middle East and beyond, including forPakistan’s strategic interests.
The F-35 Lightning II, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, stands as thepinnacle of fifth-generation fighter aircraft, boasting stealthcapabilities, sensor fusion, and network-centric warfare features thatprovide unparalleled tactical advantages. Saudi Arabia’s pursuit of thesejets has intensified following years of negotiations stalled under theprevious administration, primarily due to congressional reservations overhuman rights concerns and regional stability.
Trump’s forthcoming approval, expected to be formalized during an upcomingWhite House visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aligns withhis broader “America First” doctrine, prioritizing lucrative defenseexports to offset domestic fiscal pressures while bolstering alliancesagainst perceived adversaries. According to sources familiar with thedeliberations, the package could encompass up to 100 aircraft, alongsidetraining, maintenance, and munitions support, marking a watershed inUS-Saudi military collaboration.
However, the specter of technological leakage looms large. A recentPentagon intelligence assessment, as cited in reports from The New YorkTimes, warns that China’s extensive ties with Saudi Arabia—encompassingjoint military exercises, technology transfers, and investments in criticalinfrastructure—could facilitate the inadvertent or deliberate acquisitionof F-35 proprietary data.
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Riyadh’s participation in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, includingmulti-billion-dollar deals in energy and telecommunications, has alreadyraised alarms in Western capitals about dual-use technologies beingrepurposed for espionage. Analysts note that such a breach could erode theF-35’s qualitative edge, empowering Beijing’s own J-20 stealth program andtilting the balance in Indo-Pacific theaters. This risk is not merelyhypothetical; historical precedents, such as the alleged pilfering of F-35schematics by Turkish technicians before Ankara’s exclusion from theprogram, underscore the vulnerabilities inherent in proliferating suchplatforms to non-NATO partners.
Critically, the deal reflects Trump’s pragmatic realignment, sideliningethical qualms in favor of transactional gains, even as it courtscongressional backlash. Lawmakers, led by figures like Senator Jack Reed,have voiced apprehensions over the proliferation risks, invoking the ArmsExport Control Act to demand rigorous end-use monitoring. Yet, with theexecutive branch’s latitude in such matters, approval appears imminent,possibly by late November 2025.
Source:www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-14/saudi-prince-mbs-visits-trump-with-tension-over-gaza-chips-nuclear”>https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-likely-sell-f-35-fighters-saudis-bloomberg-news-reports-2025-11-14/”>https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-14/saudi-prince-mbs-visits-trump-with-tension-over-gaza-chips-nuclearwww.reuters.com/world/trump-likely-sell-f-35-fighters-saudis-bloomberg-news-reports-2025-11-14/”>https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-likely-sell-f-35-fighters-saudis-bloomberg-news-reports-2025-11-14/