US Intelligence Warns China Could Access F-35 Secrets Via Saudi Arabia Deal

U.S. intelligence agencies are raising alarms that China could gain access to sensitive F-35 fighter jet technology if the United States approves a significant arms deal with Saudi Arabia. The proposed $24 billion transaction involves the sale of 48 advanced F-35 aircraft to Riyadh. President Donald Trump announced the deal in November 2025, ahead of a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and it was submitted to Congress for review in June 2026.

Intelligence concerns stem from the existing close defense and technological cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China. China supplies Saudi Arabia with ballistic missiles, assists in independent weapons development, and helps establish manufacturing facilities and improve missile unit operations. Analysts fear this relationship could provide China with insights into F-35 technologies, particularly its advanced radar and intelligence-gathering equipment. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) had previously issued a general warning about Chinese espionage risks, but a more recent, detailed report specifically addresses potential Chinese access to Saudi military bases and the risks associated with Saudi use of Chinese communication systems.

Intelligence recommendations include restricting access to F-35 facilities and related technologies to Saudi and U.S. citizens, including American civilian contractors. U.S. agencies also doubt Saudi Arabia's willingness to curtail its interactions with Chinese military and intelligence personnel as a condition of the deal. A significant question remains whether Saudi Arabia will agree to remove equipment from Chinese tech firms like Huawei and ZTE from its military sites and communication infrastructure.

For Israel, the potential sale is a cause for concern, as it could diminish its aerial superiority in the Middle East. Jerusalem had hoped the F-35 sale would be linked to a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia. A similar situation arose in 2020 when the Trump administration planned to sell F-35s to the United Arab Emirates, with U.S. intelligence warning of Chinese espionage risks due to Abu Dhabi's ties with Beijing. A review under the Biden administration ultimately halted that deal.

It remains uncertain if these current warnings will impact the Saudi F-35 sale. Even if Congress opposes the deal, the Trump administration could potentially expedite it by citing regional emergencies, a mechanism previously used for arms sales to Israel. The F-35 discussions occur amidst heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi rebels, who recently seized key territory and islands in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, potentially disrupting Saudi oil exports. Concurrently, Iran-aligned groups attacked a strategic oil pipeline from Iraq. Reports indicate Saudi Arabia requested U.S. assistance against the Houthis, which Trump reportedly declined, opting instead for negotiations that secured promises from the Houthis not to attack U.S. vessels, though attacks on Saudi shipping continue.