Saudi Arabia has submitted a formal request to acquire up to 48 Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter jets from the United States, and the proposal has now progressed past a key hurdle inside the U.S. Department of Defense, ahead of a planned visit by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

U.S. officials say the case has been elevated to the Secretary of Defense level, though no final decision has been made and approvals from the President, Cabinet and Congress remain required.

If approved, the sale would represent a significant shift in regional defence posture, as Israel has long been the only Middle Eastern country to operate F-35s.

Saudi Arabia, already Washington’s largest arms customer, would join a very exclusive club, potentially altering the military balance in the Gulf while testing U.S. commitments to ensure Israel’s qualitative military edge.

The proposed deal arrives amid wider U.S.–Saudi defence cooperation, including a broader arms package announced earlier this year valued at nearly $142 billion.

While that agreement did not explicitly confirm the F-35 sale, officials say talks on the jets have intensified as the two countries deepen ties.

Some lawmakers in the U.S. Congress remain sceptical of any deal given human-rights concerns and the imperative to maintain Israel’s military edge.

Saudi Arabia has made its case based on the need to modernise its air force and counter regional threats, particularly from Iran.

For its part, the United States is weighing the strategic benefits of closer Saudi-U.S. alignment in the Middle East alongside the traditional safeguards for Israel.

The case remains under review and could face further negotiation over technology limits, offset terms and regional security assurances before the jets are authorised for sale.