The Defensive “Deal of the Century”: The United States and Saudi Arabia Sign the Largest Arms Deal in History Worth $142 Billion
ALDAR/
In what is considered the largest defense deal in the history of U.S.-Saudi relations, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the signing of a massive $142 billion arms deal with Riyadh during his official visit to the Kingdom on May 13, 2025. This agreement is part of a broader investment package valued at $600 billion, covering various sectors including energy, artificial intelligence, infrastructure, and aviation.
The deal includes the supply of a wide range of advanced military equipment, including air and missile defense systems, aviation and space technologies, maritime security, and communications. Contracts were signed with more than a dozen U.S. defense companies, including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon, to provide Saudi Arabia with these systems. The goal of this agreement is to enhance the Kingdom’s defense capabilities in the face of regional threats, particularly from Iran, which Trump referred to as a “destructive force” in the region.
In addition to the defense deal, the investment package includes major projects in the fields of energy and artificial intelligence. Saudi company “Data Vault” announced a $20 billion investment in AI centers in the United States, while major American companies such as Google and Oracle pledged joint investments worth $80 billion. A deal for the purchase of aircraft from Boeing valued at $4.8 billion was also announced, along with the establishment of an industrial facility in Michigan worth $5.8 billion.
Despite the size of the deal, the agreement did not include the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, due to Israeli concerns about maintaining its military superiority in the region. Israel has expressed its worries about the possibility of providing Saudi Arabia with these aircraft, especially since it is the only country in the Middle East that possesses this type of fighter.
The deal has elicited mixed reactions, with economic and defense circles in both countries welcoming it as a strengthening of the strategic partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia.
This deal marks a milestone in U.S.-Saudi relations and reflects a shift toward enhancing strategic cooperation between the two countries in defense, economics, and technology.
