White House: US signs $142bn arms deal with Saudi Arabia

The United States and Saudi Arabia have signed “the largest defence sales agreement in history”—nearly $142 billion, the White House said in a statement on Tuesday.

It added that the agreement includes providing Saudi Arabia with “state-of-the-art warfighting equipment and services from over a dozen US defence firms.”

• • The sales that we intend to complete fall into five broad categories: (1) air force advancement and space capabilities, (2) air and missile defence, (3) maritime and coastal security, (4) border security and land forces modernisation, and (5) information and communication systems upgrades.

  • The package also includes extensive training and support to build the capacity of the Saudi armed forces, including enhancement of Saudi service academies and military medical services.

  • This deal represents a significant investment in Saudi Arabia’s defence and regional security, built on American systems and training.

The agreement is part of a total package worth more than $600 billion–“the largest set of commercial agreements on record” signed between the two countries during US President Donald Trump’s visit to the kingdom as part of his four-day Gulf tour.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English