US approves sale of 48 F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia

The U.S. government has approved the potential sale of 48 F-35 stealth fighter jets and related equipment to Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Department of State said Thursday, reported Xinhua.

The estimated total cost is 24.3 billion U.S. dollars, the department said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia has requested to buy 48 F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft with conventional takeoff and landing and 49 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines, of which 48 are installed and the other is a spare, the statement said.

According to the statement, the proposed sale "will improve Saudi Arabia's capability to deter current and future threats by strengthening its homeland defense, and improving interoperability with U.S. forces, and other regional and NATO forces," but "will not alter the military balance in the region."

Israel is reportedly the only country in the Middle East to currently operate F-35 fighter jets.