President Donald Trump goment don talk say e approve sale of nearly 50 F-35 fighter jets give Saudi Arabia. Di move na policy shift for United States and e don raise concern from some members of Congress.
Saudi Arabia don pursue di world most advanced warplane for years. Di jet get stealth technology wey allow am evade enemy detection. Washington bin resist di sale before, partly because e dey supply F-35s to Israel. Under US law, Israel must get top-of-the-range American weapons pass wetin its regional neighbours fit access.
Congress get 30 days to scrutinise or attempt to block di $24bn sale to Riyadh. Riyadh na di largest customer for US weapons. One report put di estimated value at $24.3bn for 48 jets.
Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, one Democrat, oppose di sale on Thursday. He warn say e ‘could put the crown jewels of American military technology within reach of the Chinese Communist Party’. Other Democratic lawmakers and some American defence officials don raise similar concern about giving F-35s to Saudi Arabia. Dem talk say Riyadh fit share di sensitive technology with China under security partnership between di two countries.
Di State Department talk on Thursday wen e announce di deal say e go support US foreign policy and national security objectives. E talk say di deal go improve security of a major non-Nato ally wey be force for political stability and economic progress for Gulf region. Di State Department add say di proposed sale of dis equipment and support no go alter military balance for di region.
Trump get close relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, wey visit White House last November. Di two also meet for May last year for Riyadh, where $142bn arms sale sealed. White House describe am as di largest defence sales agreement in history.
Di latest proposed sale to Saudi Arabia go include 48 F-35s. Lockheed Martin build di jets. Dis go place Saudi Arabia on level with Israel, wey currently get fleet of 50 jets. But Israel ministry of foreign affairs announce for May say e go procure another F-35 squadron. According to Jerusalem Post, di deal go double Israel F-35 fleet to 100. Just one Lockheed Martin F-35A jet cost about $82.5m.
Congress bin question arms deals with Riyadh before after dem murder Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi for 2018. Former US President Joe Biden administration consider supplying F-35s to Saudi Arabia if Riyadh normalise relations with Israel, but di diplomatic effort falter.
Di proposed sale come as Saudis dey fight with Houthis, Iran-backed armed group wey control much of western Yemen. Houthis recently seize control of swathes of Yemen Red Sea coast from Saudi-backed pro-government forces. Saudi crown prince personally press Trump to take military action against Houthis, two sources familiar with matter tell CBS News, BBC US media partner. But Trump so far decline to involve US military directly, di sources talk.
Al Jazeera report say di Trump administration ask lawmakers to clear sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia for estimated $24.3bn. Di announcement come after Houthis for Yemen claim on Wednesday say dem shoot down Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib, key city in their battle against Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. Di group release video of fighters for di city standing before burning wreckage of wetin appear to be US-made F-15 fighter jet with Saudi Arabian markings. Houthis claim dem shoot di aircraft with ‘locally made’ surface-to-air missile.
Until now, Saudi Arabia military enjoy relative air superiority for Yemen, and e rely heavily on ability to carry out air strikes for neighbouring country. Intensifying fighting between Saudi Arabia and Houthis reportedly kill at least five people, including three children, on Thursday. Saudi Arabia don unsuccessfully seek to make Washington play more direct role for kingdom conflict with Houthi forces. US don talk say e no go directly intervene for conflict between Iran-backed Houthis, Saudi Arabia, and Saudi-backed Yemeni government.
Washington also get concern about potential Chinese espionage related to di jets. New York Times report dis week say US intelligence analysts raise possibility say Beijing fit acquire F-35 technology through its partnerships with Riyadh. US congressional Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, one Democratic member of House Intelligence Committee, express opposition to di sale on those grounds. E talk say di deal no suppose go ahead when US own intelligence community dey warn say e fit put di crown jewels of American military technology within reach of Chinese Communist Party.
Saudi Arabia sign mutual defense agreement, dem call am Mecca Agreement, with Pakistan and Turkiye last month. Di sign show say di countries dey seek ways to provide mutual defence wey rely less on Washington. Saudi Arabia don long seek to buy F-35s, but officials from Israel, di only country for region with di fighter jets, don voice concern about their sale to Riyadh despite push for kingdom to normalise relations. Turkiye, one Nato member wey take part for multi-country development of F-35 jets, don barred from receiving di aircraft since 2019 after e purchase anti-aircraft missiles from Russia.
