Key facts
- The U.S. State Department approved the potential sale of Joint Direct Attack Munitions-Extend Range to Saudi Arabia for $5 billion.
- The State Department also approved a potential sale of AGT-1500 engines to Saudi Arabia for $750 million.
- The total estimated value of these potential sales is $5.75 billion.
- Boeing is the principal contractor for the munitions sale, and Honeywell for the engines.
- These sales aim to bolster Saudi Arabia's air defense systems amid regional tensions.
The U.S. State Department has approved two potential arms sales to Saudi Arabia, one for Joint Direct Attack Munitions-Extend Range (JDAM-ER) valued at an estimated $5 billion, with Boeing as the principal contractor, and another for AGT-1500 engines worth an estimated $750 million, with Honeywell as the contractor. These approvals come amid a broader surge in U.S. foreign military sales to Middle Eastern allies, with over $45 billion approved in the first quarter of 2026, 81% of which supported the region.
Earlier in 2026, Saudi Arabia had also received approval for 730 Patriot PAC-3 MSE missiles for approximately $9 billion. Another separate sale of nearly $2 billion was approved to bolster Saudi air defense systems. The State Department stated that these proposed sales support U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by enhancing the security of a key ally in the Gulf region and improving interoperability with U.S. and regional forces.
The approvals occur against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions, including the ongoing U.S.-Israel military operations against Iran and retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Iran. The Houthis, an Iran-backed group, have threatened to target Saudi oil and vital facilities if Riyadh escalates aggression against Yemen, adding to the complex security environment in the Middle East.