Trump Ready to Propose Saudi Arabia a Multi-Billion Dollar Weapons Deal, Sources Reveal
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The Yanks are cookin' up a hefty arms deal for Saudi Arabia, worth over a hundred big ones, according to a half-dozen insiders in the know. This grand plan is set to be announced during Trump's visit to the kingdom this May.
Remember when Joe Biden's team tried to seal a defense pact with Riyadh back in the day? Well, that effort didn't pan out, as part of a broader scheme to see Saudi Arabia cozying up with Israel. Biden's proposal offered better U.S. gear in exchange for ditching Chinese weaponry and limiting Chinese investment. It's unclear if Trump's new deal has similar conditions.
The White House, Pentagon, and Saudi government communications office haven't commented yet. During his first stint, Trump was all about peddling weapons to the Saudis, claiming it was good for American jobs.
Lockheed Martin could be supplying some sweet gear, like C-130 transport planes, missiles, and radars, sources say. RTX, Raytheon's new name, is expected to play a significant role, along with Boeing, Northrop, and General Atomics.
These sources don't wanna be named, it's all hush-hush. Lockheed, RTX, Northrop, and General Atomics declined to speak, while Boeing didn't get back to us.
Some deals in the works might be new, while others have been in the pipeline for quite some time. For example, Saudi Arabia asked about General Atomics' drones back in 2018. Over the last year, a possible $20 billion deal for the MQ-9B SeaGuardian-style drones and other aircraft surfaced, say sources.
Executives from defense companies might join the delegation for the trip, some sources say.
The U.S. has been equipping Saudi Arabia for a while now. In 2017, Trump proposed around $110 billion in sales. But only $14.5 billion were initiated, as Congress started questioning the deals following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
In 2021, under Biden, Congress banned offensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi's killing and to pressure them to end their Yemen war. By 2024, the ban was lifted as Washington worked closer with Saudi Arabia to plan for a post-war Gaza.
There may be discussions about Lockheed's F-35 jets, which Riyadh has been keen on for years. However, analysts doubt an F-35 deal will be signed during Trump's trip.
The U.S. ensures Israel gets more advanced American weapons than Arab states, giving it a "Qualitative Military Edge" over its neighbors. Israel has been flying F-35s for nearly a decade now.
Now, here's a bit of info if you're interested:
- AMRAAM Missiles: The deal could include 1,000 AIM-120C-8 air-to-air missiles for Saudi Arabia's F-15 fleet. The package may also contain 50 additional guidance sections for these missiles, ringing up a cost of around $3.5 billion, including technical support and logistics.
- Bigger Picture: We're talking about a potential $100 billion deal for new-age U.S. military equipment, details of which are still under wraps. This deal follows Trump's 2017 $110 billion arms agreement, focusing on job creation and countering Iranian influence. The deal is subject to congressional review, and most of it could precede Trump's visit to the Middle East. The U.S. traditionally ensures Israel retains military superiority over neighboring Arab states, but this deal seems to focus on defensive and air-combat capabilities.
- The upcoming arms deal between the Yanks and Saudi Arabia, worth over a hundred billion dollars, might include Lockheed Martin supplying C-130 transport planes, missiles, and radars, as sources suggest.
- RTX, Raytheon's new name, is expected to play a significant role in the arms deal, accompanied by Boeing, Northrop, and General Atomics, according to unnamed sources.
- The possible deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia for the MQ-9B SeaGuardian-style drones and other aircraft, worth over $20 billion, has been in discussions since 2018, some sources claim.
- In politics and the realm of general news, it is speculated that there could be discussions about Lockheed's F-35 jets in the upcoming arms deal, as Riyadh has expressed interest in them for years. However, analysts question whether an F-35 deal will be signed during Trump's visit.
