The deal is reportedly in the works in advance of a planned trip by US President Donald Trump to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates next month, Reuters reported on Thursday.
Top defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin, RTX Corp, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and General Atomics are reported to be involved in the supply of advanced weapons systems, according to Reuters, and several executives from the companies are expected to join Trump’s delegation for the visit.
The sources cited by Reuters say the contractor could see Riyadh supplied with a range of weapons including C-130 transport aircraft, missiles and radar systems.
It is unlikely, however, that Saudi Arabia will gain access to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet. Only a select number of countries can buy F-35s from the US, such as NATO allies, Japan, South Korea and Australia.
Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, tried unsuccessfully to sign a new defense pact with Saudi Arabia with the broader aim of normalizing relations with the Israeli regime. Biden’s pact also called for Riyadh to restrict Chinese investment and halt arms purchases from Beijing, but Reuters said it could not establish whether Trump’s proposed deal would call for similar restrictions.
Neither the White House nor Saudi officials immediately responded to the request for comment, but a US defense official told Reuters that “security cooperation remains an important component” of the US-Saudi relationship. None of the defense contractors named by Reuters replied to queries.
While the US has long supplied Saudi Arabia with weapons, sales dropped off in 2018 following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In 2021, the US Congress banned the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia in the wake of the murder and Riyadh’s involvement in the war in Yemen, Al Jazeera reported.
The Biden administration began to soften its stance on Saudi Arabia in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine impacted global oil supplies, and the ban on offensive weapons sales was lifted in 2024 as Saudi Arabia was seen as a key partner by the US in the post-war reconstruction of Gaza.