PNN – Six officials familiar with the matter said that the United States is looking to offer Saudi Arabia an arms package worth more than $100 billion, and that the offer will be presented during US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia in May.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, Reuters, the proposed package comes as the administration of former US President Joe Biden made an unsuccessful attempt to sign a defense pact with Riyadh as part of a broader agreement that envisioned normalizing Saudi Arabia’s relations with the Israeli regime.
Biden’s offer included access to more advanced American weapons in exchange for stopping purchases of Chinese weapons and limiting Beijing’s investment in the country.
During his first term as president, Trump considered arms sales to Saudi Arabia beneficial to American jobs.
Two officials said Lockheed Martin could supply a wide range of advanced weapons systems, including the C-130 transport aircraft.
An official also said that Lockheed will also provide missiles and radar to Saudi Arabia.
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The two officials explained that Saudi Arabia first requested information about General Atomics drones in 2018.
A deal to buy $20 billion worth of MQ drones and other aircraft made by General Automatics has been considered over the past 12 months, according to one official.
Three sources said several executives from US defense companies are considering traveling to the region as part of the US delegation.
The United States has long been a supplier of weapons to Saudi Arabia. In 2017, Trump proposed selling almost $110 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia.
By 2018, only $14.5 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia had been realized, and Congress questioned these deals between the US and Saudi Arabia in light of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
In 2021, during Biden’s presidency, Congress imposed a ban on offensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia in response to the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and pressure on Saudi Arabia to de-escalate the war in Yemen, which has caused widespread civilian casualties. Under US law, major international arms deals must be reviewed by members of Congress before they can be finalized.
The Biden administration adjusted its stance on Saudi Arabia in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine affected global oil supplies. The ban on offensive arms sales was lifted in 2024, as Washington worked more closely with Riyadh to develop a post-war Gaza plan after the war in Gaza began.
A potential deal for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jets, which Saudi Arabia has reportedly been interested in for years, is expected to be discussed, three sources said, while officials said the chances of an F-35 deal being signed during the trip were slim.