The deal may very well be introduced throughout US President Donald Trump’s deliberate journey to the Center East subsequent month.
The US is poised to supply Saudi Arabia an arms package deal price greater than $100bn, the Reuters information company experiences, citing six sources accustomed to the matter.
The deal is reportedly within the works upfront of a deliberate journey by US President Donald Trump to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates subsequent month, Reuters reported on Thursday.
High defence contractors similar to Lockheed Martin, RTX Corp, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Common Atomics are reported to be concerned within the provide of superior weapons programs, in accordance with Reuters, and several other executives from the businesses are anticipated to affix Trump’s delegation for the go to.
The sources cited by Reuters say the contractor may see Riyadh provided with a variety of weapons together with C-130 transport plane, missiles and radar programs.
It’s unlikely, nonetheless, that Saudi Arabia will acquire entry to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet. Solely a choose variety of international locations can purchase F-35s from the US, similar to NATO allies, Japan, South Korea and Australia.
Trump’s predecessor, President Joe Biden, tried unsuccessfully to signal a brand new defence pact with Saudi Arabia with the broader purpose of normalising relations with Israel. Biden’s pact additionally referred to as for Riyadh to limit Chinese language funding and halt arms purchases from Beijing, however Reuters mentioned it couldn’t set up whether or not Trump’s proposed deal would name for comparable restrictions.
Neither the White Home nor Saudi officers instantly responded to the request for remark, however a US defence official advised Reuters that “safety cooperation stays an necessary element” of the US-Saudi relationship. Not one of the defence contractors named by Reuters replied to queries.
Whereas the US has lengthy provided Saudi Arabia with weapons, gross sales dropped off in 2018 following the homicide of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In 2021, the US Congress banned the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia within the wake of the homicide and Riyadh’s involvement within the battle in Yemen.
The Biden administration started to melt its stance on Saudi Arabia in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine impacted international oil provides, and the ban on offensive weapons gross sales was lifted in 2024 as Saudi Arabia was seen as a key accomplice by the US within the post-war reconstruction of Gaza.
