"F-35s Heading to Saudi Arabia"... What's Behind U.S. Report on "China Leaks"?

The Trump administration has approved a $24.3 billion sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.

In a statement on September 17 local time, the U.S. State Department mentioned the approval of the F-35 fighter jet sale, stating that it will "enhance Saudi Arabia's homeland defense capabilities and improve interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces, thereby boosting the ability to deter current and future threats."

The U.S. began preparing for the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia as early as November of last year during the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the U.S.

This contract is expected to provide breathing room for Saudi Arabia, which has recently been targeted by attacks from the Houthi rebel group in Yemen, a proxy force for Iran.

As the world's largest crude oil exporter, Saudi Arabia has used its pipeline connecting the eastern oilfields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu as an export route after the Strait of Hormuz was blocked following the Iran war.

Recently, the Houthi rebels seized strategic points near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the entrance of the Red Sea and struck major Saudi energy infrastructure, dealing a major blow to its crude oil exports.

However, many hurdles remain before actual delivery.

The sale must go through U.S. congressional review, and even if Congress ultimately approves it, it will take several years for the first fighter jets to be supplied.

In addition, strong concerns have been raised by some quarters, including U.S. intelligence agencies, that the deal could lead to the leakage of related technology to China, pointing to potential difficulties ahead.

The New York Times reported that a Defense Intelligence Agency report from several months ago addressed the Chinese military's access to Saudi bases and Saudi Arabia's use of Chinese technology within its communications infrastructure, raising questions about whether the U.S. and Saudi Arabia can maintain F-35 technology security.

Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi of the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence released a statement warning that "permitting the sale would pose a threat to U.S. national security."

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Seo Byung-wook | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.