The U.S. Department of State announced that it has approved a Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia of F-35 Lightning II aircraft and related equipment at an estimated cost of $24.3 billion…
Saudi Arabia has requested the purchase of 48 F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) conventional takeoff and landing aircraft, along with 49 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines (48 installed and 1 spare).
The principal contractors are Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, and no known offset agreement has been proposed in connection with this sale.
The F-35A is a single-engine, 5th-generation multirole fighter aircraft with conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) capability, designed with low-observable characteristics.
The F-35 Lightning II has a maximum speed of Mach 1.6 and a combat radius of approximately 2,200 km.
The aircraft is equipped with integrated sensor systems, including the AN/APG-81 AESA radar, the AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS), and the AN/ASQ-239 electronic warfare system.
Through its sensor fusion and data-link capabilities, the F-35 Lightning II combines information from multiple sensors to enhance situational awareness…