F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia cleared after years of to and fro between Washington and Riyadh

After years of hesitation, Washington has finally moved to sell Saudi Arabia the F-35, its most advanced stealth fighter, ending a saga that has dragged on for years amid concerns over transferring the aircraft to a West Asian power may dilute Israel's aerial dominance vis-a-vis its neighbours. The US State Department cleared the potential Foreign Military Sale of up to 48 F-35A Lightning II jets to Riyadh, in a deal valued at USD 24.3 billion, notified to Congress on Thursday.The package goes well beyond the aircraft itself. It includes 49 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines, one per aircraft plus a spare, alongside secure communications and navigation systems, cryptographic equipment, electronic warfare support, spare parts, simulators, training and extensive logistics support.