US State Department approves sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia

US State Department approves sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia The US State Department has approved a proposed sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in a package that will cost an estimated $24.3bn. Saudi Arabia had requested the purchase of 48 F-35 aircraft, 49 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines, communications equipment, spare parts and ⁠other support items, according to a statement. “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region,” the State Department said, adding that the sale of the fighter jets “will not alter the military balance in the region”.