$24B F-35 Sale to Saudi Arabia Could Reshape Gulf Skies

The State Department has signed off on a massive jet deal that could reshape the skies over the Gulf. On Thursday, it announced that it had approved a proposed $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth fighters and related gear to Saudi Arabia, a move the Trump administration says will strengthen a key non-NATO ally as conflicts around the Red Sea intensify. If the sale is approved, Saudi Arabia would be only the second operator of the advanced jets in the region after Israel. CNN reports US law requires preserving Israel's "qualitative military edge," and the department insists the package "will not alter the military balance in the region."

Congress must now decide whether to block or allow the sale of Lockheed Martin's Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft, which NBC News reports is "considered the most lethal, stealthy, and survivable aircraft in the world." In the wake of the announcement, some lawmakers voiced concerns that the technology behind the jets could be at risk of falling into the hands of China, which has a military partnership with Saudi Arabia.