Middle Eastern demand opens fresh export prospects for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet
The F-35A fighter jet has gained customers in Europe, with the Middle East representing a potential new market. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)
A proposed Saudi Arabian purchase of 48 stealth fighters could signal a broader regional opportunity for the F-35 as European programmes mature.
Middle Eastern countries could be the next growth market for the F-35A Lightning II after the US moved a step closer in September 2026 to clear the way for Saudi Arabia to procure the fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft.
On 17 September 2026, the US State Department announced it had approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia of 48 F-35 aircraft and related equipment at an estimated cost of US$24.3 billion.
If a procurement is successful, Saudi Arabia would be the first Middle Eastern country other than Israel to procure the F-35.
According to the notice, the sale
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