U.S. officials and defense experts have said that the plan under which the United States intends to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia will include aircraft of a lower grade compared to those used by Israel, because a U.S. law guarantees Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region.
According to a report by the global news agency Reuters, U.S. President Donald Trump announced this week that he would sell F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia, but officials said that the Saudi aircraft would not include the advanced features present in the Israeli fleet, including sophisticated weapons systems and electronic warfare equipment.
Israel has special authority to modify its F-35 jets, allowing it to integrate its own weapons systems, radar-jamming capabilities, and other upgrades without requiring U.S. approval.
Nevertheless, as reported by the Times of Israel on Tuesday, the Israeli Air Force opposes the proposed sale and has warned political leaders in a document that this move would undermine Israel’s air superiority in the region.
According to Douglas Birkey, Executive Director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, even if Saudi Arabia receives these jets, it is likely that it will not be given the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM) — the next-generation air-to-air missile designed for next-generation fighter aircraft.
The JATM’s range of more than 120 miles is considered the most sensitive missile technology associated with the F-35 platform, and this missile will likely be supplied only to Israel.
The F-35 is customized for each country and each pilot. The United States has the most capable versions, while all other countries receive lower-grade aircraft. It is possible to keep Saudi jets technologically less capable than the Israeli ones, depending on the software package approved for the aircraft.
In addition to the capability gap, Israel also enjoys numerical superiority, as it currently operates two squadrons of F-35s and a third is on order, while Saudi Arabia will be limited to two squadrons whose delivery will take several years.
For nearly eight years, Israel has been the only user of the F-35 in the region, giving it considerable experience in learning the aircraft’s systems and capabilities.
U.S. officials have said that before finalizing the sale, a formal review of Israel’s qualitative military edge will be required. Every sale to Saudi Arabia must be approved by Congress, and one official indicated that strong support for Israel in Congress could hinder this approval.
Officials also noted that Israel is trying to bring Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords in order to normalize relations in the region and avoid tensions with Trump.
To oppose the sale through a veto-proof joint resolution in Congress, a two-thirds majority would be required in both chambers to override a presidential veto, which is considered a difficult target.
This sale would place Saudi Arabia on par with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which have been offered F-35 jets; however, those deals are still stalled due to concerns about delivery schedules, aircraft capabilities, and potential Chinese access to the technology.
