The United States is poised to offer Saudi Arabia an arms package worth well over $100 billion, sources with direct knowledge of the issue said, saying the proposal was being lined up for announcement during US President Donald Trump’s visit to the kingdom in May.
The offered package comes after the administration of former president Joe Biden unsuccessfully tried to finalise a defence pact with Riyadh as part of a broad deal that envisioned Saudi Arabia normalising ties with Israel.
The Biden proposal offered access to more advanced US weaponry in return for halting Chinese arms purchases and restricting Beijing’s investment in the country.
The White House and Saudi government communications office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A US Defence official said: “Our defence relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is stronger than ever under President Trump’s leadership. Maintaining our security cooperation remains an important component of this partnership and we will continue to work with Saudi Arabia to address their defence needs.”
In his first term, Trump celebrated weapons sales to Saudi Arabia as good for US jobs.
Lockheed Martin Corp could supply a range of advanced weapons systems including C-130 transport aircraft, two of the sources said. One source said Lockheed would also supply missiles and radars.
RTX Corp, formerly known as Raytheon Technologies, is also expected to play a significant role in the package, which will include supplies from other major US defence contractors such as Boeing Co, Northrop Grumman Corp and General Atomics, said four of the sources.
RTX, Northrop and General Atomics declined to comment. Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Lockheed Martin spokesperson said foreign military sales are government-to-government transactions. Questions about sales to foreign governments are best addressed by the US government.
The US has long supplied Saudi Arabia with weapons. In 2017, Trump proposed approximately $110 billion of sales to the kingdom.
As of 2018, only $14.5 billion of sales had been initiated, and Congress began to question the deals. In 2021, under Biden, Congress imposed a ban on sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia.
Under US law, major international weapons deals must be reviewed by members of Congress before they are finalised.
The Biden administration began to soften its stance on Saudi Arabia in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine impacted global oil supplies. The ban on offensive weapons sales was lifted in 2024, as Washington worked more closely with Riyadh in the aftermath of the October 7 attack.
A potential deal for Lockheed’s F-35 jets, which the kingdom has been reportedly interested in for years, is expected to be discussed, three of the sources said, while downplaying the chances for an F-35 deal being signed during the trip.
