Saudi Arabia is on track to join the small club of countries operating the F-35. Trump signaled overnight between Friday and Saturday that the deal is moving forward. What makes this aircraft so special, and why is Israel worried?
The F-35 entered operational service in the US in 2015 after development began in the mid-1990s. The jet, produced by Lockheed Martin, is considered one of the most advanced in the world. Technologically, it belongs to the exclusive fifth-generation class, alongside the American F-22 (currently barred from export), China's J-20 and Russia's Su-57. On the commercial side, its actual competitors are upgraded fourth-generation aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon, France's Rafale, Sweden's Gripen and advanced models of the F-16.
Israel was the first country outside the US to receive the F-35, which entered operational service in the Israeli Air Force in December 2017 under the name Adir.
Prices vary by model but generally range between 80 million and 100 million dollars per aircraft, depending on configuration and quantity. Costs have fallen significantly over the years as production processes improved.
Finalizing the Saudi purchase has clear implications for the Middle East and for Israel. Jerusalem has long feared that Israel's qualitative military edge could erode. Trump sees the deal as part of a broader move to bring Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords, as he said ahead of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to the White House this week, and also as a way to generate American jobs.
Turkey, led by President Recep Erdogan, which arguably concerns Israel even more, also wants to acquire the advanced jet. Ankara was once a full partner in the F-35 program but was removed in 2019 after purchasing Russia's S-400 air defense system, a decision that angered Washington.
Since then, Turkey has been trying to return to the program, and Trump did not rule it out during his meeting with Erdogan.
This week, the New York Times reported that the Pentagon is worried about the Saudi deal. The concern stems from Riyadh's close ties with China, which could potentially gain access to the jet's sensitive technologies.
