US approves $3B sale of F-15 maintenance services to KSA

The U.S. State Department has approved a possible sale of maintenance and servicing for F-15 fighter jets and related equipment to Saudi Arabia for $3 billion, the Pentagon announced Tuesday in a statement.

Congress has been notified of the approval, according to the statement, which notes that the proposed sale includes "non-major defense equipment," such as spare parts, repair services, software, and personnel training.

The deal aims to "support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States" by strengthening the security of Saudi Arabia, a "Major non-NATO Ally" of Washington.

The equipment and training will "enhance Saudi Arabia’s capability to deter current and future threats," according to the Pentagon.

The announcement came just days after the U.S. government approved a $9 billion sale to Riyadh for 730 Patriot air defense missiles.

In addition to those missiles, the U.S. administration also approved four arms deals for Israel totaling $6.7 billion, including the sale of Apache attack helicopters and the delivery of more than 3,000 light military vehicles.

The sales come as Washington and Tehran are set to begin negotiations Friday, after U.S. President Donald Trump sent mixed signals about a possible U.S. military intervention in Iran.

According to 2024 data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Riyadh spent $80 billion on military expenditures, accounting for a little more than 20 percent of its GDP.