In Washington, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman walked the White House colonnade beside US President Donald Trump as the two leaders unveiled a cascade of announcements: a Strategic Defense Agreement, US approval to sell F‑35 stealth fighters, a landmark civil nuclear pact, and the designation of Saudi Arabia as a major non‑NATO ally.
In Riyadh, the picture was just as telling: the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces inaugurating their first operational THAAD missile-defense unit – a high-altitude shield long seen as one of the most sophisticated systems in the US arsenal.
Taken together, the moves underscore a strategic message from both capitals: Saudi Arabia is no longer merely an energy giant and arms customer, but an increasingly central security actor with global reach.
A Strategic Makeover in Washington
Trump used a gala White House dinner to reveal the major non‑NATO ally designation, placing Saudi Arabia in a select group of just 19 countries with elevated access to US defense trade and cooperation.
“We’re taking our military cooperation to even greater heights,” Trump said, calling the step “very important” to Riyadh.
Hours earlier, the two leaders had signed a Strategic Defense Agreement that formalizes what has, in practice, been a deepening military alliance over three decades. The document stresses that Washington and Riyadh are “capable security partners” able to confront regional and international threats together, while boosting deterrence, readiness, and long-term defense integration.
In parallel, the White House confirmed a “major defense sale package” that includes future deliveries of F‑35s, making Saudi Arabia the 21st member of the world’s most advanced fighter jet club.
Beyond Buyer–Seller: Building a Saudi Defense Ecosystem
The F‑35 deal caps a year of intense defense activity. Four notable US‑Saudi transactions have been approved in recent months alone:
- $78.5 million in lightweight torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare
- $100 million in Laser-Guided APKWS precision munitions
- A $3.5 billion package of advanced air-to-air missiles
- A broader $142 billion sales framework involving more than a dozen US defense firms
These agreements align with Riyadh’s Vision 2030, which calls for diversifying suppliers, investing in advanced capabilities, and localizing defense manufacturing. US officials increasingly speak of Saudi Arabia not just as a purchaser, but as a “technologically capable partner.”
A civil nuclear “joint declaration” signed in Washington adds another layer. It lays the legal foundation for a “decades-long, multi‑billion‑dollar nuclear energy partnership” under strict nonproliferation standards, positioning Saudi Arabia as a future nuclear-energy hub under a US-led framework.
Training, Coalitions and Deterrence
Hardware is only part of the story. Over the past five years, 13 bilateral exercises have been publicly announced, covering land, air, naval, and missile-defense domains. The latest, Quincy‑1 at Fort Irwin, brought Saudi and US ground forces together to sharpen joint operational readiness.
At sea, Riyadh joined the US‑supported International Maritime Security Construct in 2019, helping safeguard shipping lanes that anchor global energy and trade flows.
This builds on a long coalition record. In 1991, Saudi Arabia was a central pillar of the US-led coalition to liberate Kuwait under the late King Fahd bin Abdulaziz. In 2014, the Kingdom co-hosted in Jeddah the inaugural meeting of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS, again alongside Washington.
A recent Atlantic Council analysis described the relationship as a “practical partnership rooted in shared interests,” arguing that a more integrated defense framework could strengthen regional deterrence and support global energy stability, provided transparency is maintained and external technological influence is carefully managed.
From Arms Consumer to Security Provider
Former Saudi military liaison officer Abdul Latif Al‑Mulhim says the latest steps reflect a long-term, deliberate strategy rather than a sudden pivot.
“Saudi Arabia has long been precise in defining its defense needs,” he told Asharq Al‑Awsat, noting that the United States has “never declined a Saudi request for arms” and that US officials recognize Riyadh’s clarity about the technologies it requires.
He points to the Royal Saudi Air Force’s sustained performance with advanced aircraft – from the liberation of Kuwait to coalition operations in Yemen and the anti‑ISIS campaign – as proof that the Kingdom can absorb and operate cutting-edge systems. The capabilities demonstrated in these theaters, particularly under the leadership of Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, have been widely praised by military analysts, he added.
The inauguration of THAAD, the planned arrival of F‑35s, and the civil nuclear pact all feed into a broader transformation: Saudi Arabia positioning itself not just as a buyer of security guarantees, but as a provider of security capacity – for its own territory, for its neighborhood, and for a global economy still anchored to the energy that flows from its shores.
Photo: Gemini AI