The F-35 Fighter Jet: America's Most Advanced Military Aircraft Heading to Saudi Arabia

The F-35 Lightning II is widely acknowledged as America's premier and most sophisticated fighter aircraft.

President Donald Trump has confirmed an agreement to sell the United States' most advanced fighter jet to Saudi Arabia, despite concerns regarding potential Chinese access to its cutting-edge American technology.

The deal with Saudi Arabia, whose primary trading partner is China, was reconfirmed during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Washington visit on Tuesday.

Some Republican administration officials have expressed apprehension that selling F-35s to Saudi Arabia could undermine Israel's qualitative military advantage in the region, particularly as Trump relies on Israeli backing for his Gaza peace initiative.

Israel, which utilized the F-35 during its 12-day conflict with Iran in June, is among 19 nations that currently possess or have agreements to acquire this aircraft.

Nearly two decades ago, the first F-35 Lightning strike fighter emerged from a Fort Worth, Texas assembly line, celebrated as a technological breakthrough but criticized as a financial burden for military budgets.

Since then, Lockheed Martin has manufactured over 1,200 of these stealth jets, supporting what the company claims are approximately 300,000 jobs across its supply chain in 49 states and Puerto Rico. The aircraft has been delivered to all three major U.S. military branches: Air Force, Navy, and Marines.

Key aspects of the F-35 program include its operational history and capabilities:

U.S. Marines have deployed the F-35 for strikes against targets in Afghanistan, while Italian F-35s participated in NATO operations responding to Russian aircraft in Estonian airspace in September.

The distinctive fighter with its stubby nose and twin tail fins has faced criticism since inception, partly because it was engineered to meet the varied requirements of three military branches. The Navy launches them from aircraft carriers, while the Marine Corps variant can perform vertical takeoffs and landings like a helicopter.

The F-35 program represents the Pentagon's most expensive spending initiative ever, with each aircraft costing up to $77 million in 2023, according to Congressional Research Service data. The program has been notorious for cost overruns and schedule delays.

Concerns exist that China may already possess some intelligence on the aircraft, albeit potentially outdated. A 2013 Defense Science Board report alleged Chinese cyberattacks accessed data from numerous Pentagon programs, including the joint strike fighter project.

Bradley Bowman, senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies' Center on Military and Political Power, describes the F-35 as "widely recognized as America's best and most advanced fighter jet."

Bowman emphasizes that American military systems undergo continuous updates and improvements, mitigating any impact from potentially stolen information from years ago.

"That's why you have 19 partner nations already and why countries like Saudi Arabia want it," Bowman stated. "If the aircraft was so compromised because of theft from the Chinese, the Saudis wouldn't want it."

Initially proposed in the 1990s, the F-35 was intended to replace several aging fighters, including the Air Force's F-16. The aircraft was designed to allow pilots to transition seamlessly between bombing missions and aerial combat during the same sortie.

Classified as a fifth-generation fighter, its technological features include stealth coatings and advanced radar and sensor systems, according to the Congressional Research Service.

"What makes the F-35 particularly formidable is the increased difficulty our adversaries have in detecting it," Bowman explained. "So if you can't see it, you can't kill it."

The aircraft also boasts sophisticated sensors for enemy detection and networking capabilities for communication with allied aircraft and ground forces during combat operations.

Each aircraft was originally planned to be relatively economical to produce, with all variants manufactured on the same assembly line. However, by the time the first F-35 prepared for its inaugural flight in 2006, program costs had increased substantially.

According to a September Government Accountability Office report, Defense Department estimates indicate that maintaining, operating, and modernizing the planned 2,470 aircraft over a 77-year lifecycle will exceed $2 trillion.

The report also noted that Lockheed delivered 110 aircraft last year, all "late by an average of 238 days, up from 61 days in 2023."

Operational readiness has been another concern. In 2023, the rate at which the aircraft could perform assigned missions was approximately 55%, significantly below program goals. Contributing factors included delays in establishing maintenance facilities, inadequate equipment, and supply chain issues.

Dan Grazier, senior fellow at the Stimson Center, considers the F-35 program ultimately unsuccessful. He highlighted issues with the aircraft's radar-evading stealth coating, which requires extensive maintenance, and problems with its situational awareness camera system.

"It does not matter what kind of transformational combat capability an aircraft has if it cannot be relied upon," he stated.

Grazier noted that the F-35 was designed to replace multiple older aircraft simultaneously, resulting in an airplane that "does a lot of things kind of well, but it doesn't do anything great."

"It also costs a fortune," he added. "So you pay a fortune for an aircraft that is actually in many cases less capable than what came before it."

Lockheed Martin has contested such criticisms, stating: "The F-35 is the cornerstone of the battlespace for 20 allied nations, enabling peace through strength. It is combat proven and offers the most advanced capability and technology. With more than 1 million hours flown and more than 1,255 aircraft in service, the F-35 is an indispensable contributor to global security."