US Intelligence Fears Chinese Espionage in Saudi F-35 Jet Deal

U.S. intelligence officials have expressed concerns about potential Chinese espionage related to a proposed sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, fearing technology could be leaked to China. The deal, valued at approximately $24 billion, involves dozens of F-35 aircraft and spare engines. Pentagon officials are particularly worried about safeguarding the jets' advanced radar and surveillance technology.

A Pentagon report from several months ago highlighted the Chinese military's access to Saudi forces and Saudi Arabia's use of Chinese technology in its communication infrastructure. This new report from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) raises more concrete technical concerns.

The proposed sale of 48 jets and engines was sent to Congress in June for informal approval. Senior officials have warned the U.S. administration about these intelligence concerns. Similar worries surfaced during the Trump administration in 2020 regarding an F-35 sale to the UAE, linked to normalization with Israel.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who requested the jets, has been modernizing his military. Saudi Arabia has been engaged in a prolonged conflict in Yemen against Houthi rebels, who are supported by Iran. The article notes that Saudi forces have struggled against Iranian-backed attacks, and the conflict has recently intensified.

While the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have a long-standing military partnership, Saudi Arabia also acquires ballistic missiles from China, and China has assisted in building and improving Saudi missile capabilities. Israel also shares these concerns, having previously expressed doubts about the UAE deal. The U.S. has aimed to maintain Israel's "qualitative military edge" in the region, especially since the start of Operation "Iron Swords."