U.S. Approves $3B F-15 Sustainment Sale to Saudi Arabia

The U.S. State Department today approved a possible $3 billion Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Saudi Arabia focused on sustainment and support for the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF)’s F-15 fighter fleet.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said it has delivered the required certification to the U.S. Congress, formally notifying lawmakers of the proposed sale.

Riyadh has requested non-major defense equipment and services, including spare parts, repairs, consumables, support equipment, software, technical documentation, training, and U.S. government and contractor engineering, logistics, and program support.

Saudi Arabia was officially designated a major non-NATO ally in November 2025, providing it preferential access to U.S. defense materiel but does not include NATO mutual defense commitments.

The support package is aimed at sustaining and training the RSAF’s 210-strong F-15 fleet, making Saudi Arabia the second-largest F-15 operator after the U.S. Air Force. The fleet includes F-15SA aircraft, locally upgraded F-15SR jets, and older F-15C/D variants that have been in service since the late 1970s.

The approval follows a series of recent defense deal approvals to Riyadh. Recently, the U.S. cleared a possible $9 billion sale of up to 730 Patriot PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement interceptors. In December 2025, the U.S. also approved two potential $1 billion cases covering sustainment and training for several Saudi helicopter fleets.

Separately, Boeing is said to have offered the F-15EX Eagle II to Riyadh, with reports pointing to a possible future acquisition of up to 60 aircraft under the kingdom’s Vision 2030 plans. Saudi Arabia has also expressed interest in acquiring up to 48 F-35 fighters, a request that remains under U.S. government review and has not been approved as a Foreign Military Sale.