Reuters: US to sell Saudi Arabia downgraded F-35s to protect Israel’s military edge

The F-35 fighter jets that the United States plans to sell to Saudi Arabia will be less advanced than those operated by Israel, in accordance with a U.S. law guaranteeing Israel’s qualitative military edge (QME) in the Middle East, US officials and defence experts said.

President Donald Trump announced the planned sale earlier this week, but officials emphasized that the Saudi fleet would omit several of the superior capabilities found in Israel’s F-35s, including advanced weapons systems and sophisticated electronic-warfare equipment, Reuters reports.

Israel enjoys unique authorization to modify its F-35s independently—privileges that allow the integration of domestically developed weapons, radar-jamming technologies, and other upgrades without requiring US approval.

Nevertheless, the Israeli Air Force has opposed the prospective sale. In a position paper submitted to political leaders, it warned that providing Riyadh with the jets would undermine Israel’s air superiority in the region.

Even if Saudi Arabia proceeds with the purchase, it is unlikely to receive the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM)—the next-generation air-to-air missile designed for fifth-generation aircraft—according to Douglas Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. The JATM, with a range exceeding 120 miles, is considered the most sensitive missile technology linked to the F-35 program and would “likely be offered to Israel,” Birkey said.

The F-35 platform is customized for each purchasing nation. The United States retains the most capable variants, while all other customers receive downgraded versions. It remains feasible, officials noted, to ensure Saudi Arabia’s aircraft—built by Lockheed Martin—remain technologically inferior to Israel’s through limitations placed on software packages.

Beyond the capability gap, Israel maintains a numerical advantage. It currently operates two squadrons of F-35s, with a third on order. Saudi Arabia, by contrast, would be limited to two squadrons that would not be delivered for several years.

Israel has already accumulated roughly eight years of operational experience with the platform, giving it a substantial head start in mastering the aircraft’s systems and combat potential.

US officials said the sale will require a formal QME review before it can be finalized. Any transfer of advanced weaponry to Saudi Arabia must also be approved by Congress, where Israel’s strong bipartisan support could complicate passage. One official suggested that Israel’s influence on Capitol Hill “could hinder approval.”

At the same time, officials pointed out that Israel is seeking to bring Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords to advance regional normalization, and therefore hopes to avoid straining relations with Trump.

Under US law, Congress could attempt to block the sale through a joint resolution of disapproval, but overriding a presidential veto would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers—a threshold considered difficult to achieve.

If completed, the deal would place Saudi Arabia on par with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which have also been offered F-35s. Those agreements, however, remain stalled over disputes involving delivery timelines, aircraft specifications, and concerns about potential Chinese access to sensitive technology.

By Vafa Guliyeva