The United States has intensified pressure on Saudi Arabia to have the kingdom abandon agreements involving fighter jets from Pakistan and Turkey, amid Washington’s concerns over losing ground in the Saudi defense market.
The move comes alongside confirmation of the sale of F-35 fighter jets to the Arab country and the signing of a broad military agreement between the two governments.
According to information released by Middle East Eye, U.S. officials fear that diversifying suppliers could reduce American arms exports. Diplomats continue to demand clarifications from Riyadh regarding technical and military contacts maintained with other countries in the region, especially Ankara and Islamabad.
Washington has reportedly already obtained assurances that Saudi Arabia will not move forward with the purchase of the JF-17 fighter jet developed by Pakistan. The possibility of offsetting Pakistani debts in exchange for the aircraft was discussed, but was ultimately halted after U.S. pressure.
At present, the main U.S. concern is the potential Saudi entry into Turkey’s fifth-generation fighter jet program, KAAN. The Pentagon assesses that the kingdom already operates a significant fleet of F-15s and Eurofighter Typhoons, and argues that any investment in the Turkish project could reduce funds allocated to acquiring American military equipment, reinforcing the White House’s interest in maintaining exclusivity in arms supplies to its Gulf ally.
Source: Militarnyi | Photo: X @TUSAS_EN | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
