Defense: China, Pakistan, Turkey – who else could benefit from Trump's F-35 exports to Riyadh
Saudi Arabia has long wanted the state-of-the-art fighter jet. However, the $24 billion deal is controversial. And this is also related to China's role in the kingdom.
The US State Department has approved the sale of 48 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, along with engines and accessories, in a deal worth $24.3 billion. The sale, announced by US President Donald Trump last year, has sparked controversy, with Israel expressing concerns that it could alter the military balance in the region.
Israel, currently the sole F-35 user in the Middle East, wants to maintain its technological military edge. The US State Department claims the sale will not change the regional military balance. The deal may prompt Israel to push for the US to sell it previously withheld weapon systems, such as heavy bunker-busting bombs.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
