The United States is preparing to offer over $100 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia, according to six sources familiar with the matter. The package is expected to be announced during President Donald Trump’s visit to the kingdom in May.
The proposed deal includes advanced weapons systems from major U.S. defence contractors such as Lockheed Martin, RTX, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and General Atomics. The package may feature C-130 transport aircraft, missiles, radars, and possibly MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, sources said.
A $20 billion drone deal with General Atomics has gained momentum over the past year, one source added.
It remains unclear how many components of the package are new. Several have reportedly been under discussion since 2018. Three sources said defence executives are expected to travel to Riyadh as part of the U.S. delegation.
The Biden administration previously attempted to seal a defence pact with Saudi Arabia tied to normalising relations with Israel. That plan included limiting Chinese arms purchases and investment, but ultimately stalled.
Trump, who previously touted arms sales to Riyadh as job-creating, first proposed $110 billion in deals during his 2017 visit. By 2018, only $14.5 billion had been initiated, and congressional opposition intensified following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Under U.S. law, major weapons sales must be reviewed by Congress. In 2021, President Biden imposed a ban on offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, citing the Yemen war and Khashoggi’s killing. That ban was lifted in 2024, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the October 7 Hamas attack led Washington to re-engage with Riyadh on regional security.
A potential sale of F-35 fighter jets—long sought by Saudi Arabia—could also be discussed, though sources downplayed the chances of a deal being finalised during the visit.
U.S. law mandates that Israel maintain a Qualitative Military Edge (QME), receiving more advanced American weapons than its neighbours. Israel has operated F-35s since 2016.
The White House, Pentagon, and defence firms declined to comment. The Saudi government has not responded to inquiries.
Police were deployed across Paris on Saturday, as a curfew was set to take effect in the Republique and Chât...
A drone strike hit a power station in northern Sudan early Sunday (1 November), sparking a fire and triggering loud explosions, witnesses said....
Saudi Aramco's acquisition of a 49 per cent stake in artificial intelligence (AI) company HUMAIN is putting a spotlight on a wider investment q...
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
Police were deployed across Paris on Saturday, as a curfew was set to take effect in the Republique and Châtelet-Les Halles areas from 11pm Saturday until 6am Sunday (1 November).
A drone strike hit a power station in northern Sudan early Sunday (1 November), sparking a fire and triggering loud explosions, witnesses said.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education, living costs and military service proposals. Violence erupted in Frankfurt, where shops were looted and police reported Molotov cocktail attacks.
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's foreign intelligence agency, MI6, as a hostile group, according to a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Thousands protested in Albania's capital, Tirana, on Saturday (31 October), demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation over perceived corruption allegations and dissatisfaction with the government over a lack of jobs and poor education standards.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment