The United States announced plans to sell advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia as of 18 September 2026, culminating years of Saudi lobbying for the world's most advanced combat aircraft. The sale faced criticism over technology transfer risks and Saudi Arabia's governance record.
President Trump moved forward on 2026-09-18 with F-35 fighter jet sales to Saudi Arabia despite internal U.S. intelligence warnings that China could steal or acquire the advanced warplane technology through espionage or military ties with the kingdom. The Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency and other agencies raised the security objections in reports dated 2026-09-16.