Saudi Arabia Turns Away from Rafale, Sets Sights on F-35 in Wake of Trump’s Return
International defense media reports suggest that Saudi Arabia’s fading interest in the Rafale stems from a revived ambition—to secure the cutting-edge, American-made F-35 Lightning II—fueled by Donald Trump’s dramatic return to the White House.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) –Saudi Arabia is reportedly turning away from France’s 4.5-generation Rafale fighter jets, especially in the wake of Donald Trump’s dramatic return to the White House, replacing Joe Biden.
International defense media reports suggest that Saudi Arabia’s fading interest in the Rafale stems from a revived ambition—to secure the cutting-edge, American-made F-35 Lightning II—fueled by Donald Trump’s dramatic return to the White House.
In its relentless pursuit of fifth-generation fighter jets, Saudi Arabia has ramped up efforts to modernize its air force, which currently boasts cutting-edge 4+++ generation fighters like the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-15SA.
Now, with Donald Trump’s dramatic return to the White House for a second term, Riyadh sees a renewed glimmer of hope—believing its long-coveted F-35 acquisition is finally within reach, a prospect that once seemed improbable under the Biden administration.
Riyadh is unwavering in its pursuit of fifth-generation fighter jets, viewing its strong ties with Donald Trump as the key that could finally unlock access to the coveted F-35, engineered by Lockheed Martin.
Yet, the burning question remains—does Saudi Arabia’s confidence in securing the F-35 under Trump’s leadership rest on solid guarantees, or is it merely a bold, high-stakes gamble?
Saudi Arabia’s pursuit of the F-35 is driven by its strategic need to counter regional rival Iran, which is set to receive more advanced fighter jets such as Russia’s Sukhoi Su-35.
Previous media reports suggested that Donald Trump had offered Saudi Arabia the opportunity to acquire the F-35 during his first term in office—on the condition that Riyadh established diplomatic ties with Israel.
However, when Trump lost the 2020 election and Biden assumed office, the proposed sale of the F-35 to Saudi Arabia was put on hold by the Democratic administration.
Despite being a longstanding U.S. ally and key supporter in the Middle East, Washington has remained firm in its refusal to sell the F-35 to Saudi Arabia.
The Biden administration prioritized preserving Israel’s “qualitative military edge,” as Israel already operates the advanced stealth fighter. Additionally, Israel itself strongly opposed the sale of F-35s to Riyadh.
Following its failure to acquire the F-35, Saudi Arabia shifted its focus to the Rafale fighter jets, particularly the latest variant known as the “Super Rafale.”
Reports indicate that Riyadh was considering purchasing 54 Rafale fighters, which, if finalized, would mark its first acquisition of French fighter aircraft—following the footsteps of neighboring countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Oman, and Egypt.
French weekly newspaper La Tribune reported that Saudi Arabia had officially requested a price quote from Dassault Aviation for the acquisition of 54 Rafale jets.
Previous reports suggested that Riyadh was considering a much larger procurement, ranging between 100 and 200 Rafale fighters, similar to those operated by several of its Arab neighbors.
Besides Rafale, Saudi Arabia has also been offered Eurofighter Typhoon jets from a European consortium and F-15EX fighters from Boeing.
A proposed sale of 48 Eurofighter Typhoons to Saudi Arabia previously faced obstacles after Germany suspended arms exports to Riyadh in 2018, following the abduction and killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
