INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The United States plans to offer Saudi Arabia an arms package worth well over $100 billion, with an announcement likely during President
approach to Riyadh and highlights the commercial interests at stake for American industry.Sources familiar with the negotiations say the
package will include advanced military hardware from Lockheed Martin, RTX Corp (formerly Raytheon Technologies), Boeing, Northrop Grumman,
scale reflect a broader realignment in US-Saudi defense relations
Massive $100 Billion Arms Deal for Saudi Arabia, Reshaping U.S
(Photo Internet reproduction)The US has long supplied arms to Saudi Arabia, but the relationship faced setbacks after the 2018 murder of
journalist Jamal Khashoggi
In response, Congress imposed a ban on offensive weapons sales in 2021, citing both the Khashoggi killing and Saudi involvement in the Yemen
conflict.Only $14.5 billion of the $110 billion in sales proposed by Trump in 2017 materialized, as scrutiny over human rights and regional
Arabia a more critical partner for Washington.US-Saudi Defense Ties Deepen with Major Arms DealThe US lifted its ban on offensive weapons
sales in 2024, as American officials sought closer ties with Riyadh to address regional security challenges, including the aftermath of the
Israel-Hamas conflict.The arms package is expected to include not only aircraft and drones but also a $1 billion THAAD missile system, four
multi-mission warships worth $11.5 billion, and a $6 billion contract to assemble 150 Blackhawk helicopters in Saudi Arabia.These contracts
represent significant business for US defense firms and support American jobs, an argument Trump has emphasized throughout his political
systems, such as the F-35 fighter jet, to Arab states
While Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in the F-35, sources suggest such a sale remains unlikely under current policy.This proposed deal
underscores the enduring commercial and strategic value of the US-Saudi defense partnership, even as political and security dynamics in the
region continue to evolve.
