There are few alliances in modern politics as steady, as rewarding, and as frequently photographed as the one between Saudi Arabia and the United States. It’s a partnership built not just on mutual interests, but on shared transactions and many of them involve weapons.
Yesterday the world saw another chapter in that story. During Donald Trump’s visit to Riyadh, the two countries announced a new deal: $142 billion worth of U.S. weapons and defense systems would be sent to the Kingdom. It was described as the largest sale in the history of U.S. arms exports. For those who’ve been following the relationship, it was less of a surprise and more of a continuation.
The numbers are always impressive and grand enough to make even the most jaded Pentagon analyst raise an eyebrow. The $110 billion arms package announced during Trump’s 2017 Riyadh visit was a milestone. Then came the 2025 encore: a $142 billion defense agreement, billed as the largest in history. And just like any great sequel, it came with more pyrotechnics, more sound, and considerably less subtlety.
But beyond the headlines, one might ask: what exactly is being purchased here? The official documents speak of air defense systems, jets, naval technology, and training packages. The unofficial translation? Access, alignment, and perhaps most crucially assurance.
Saudi Arabia has long aspired to modernize its military. It has also shown an affinity for buying in bulk. F-15SA jets? Take 84. Patriot systems? Add THAAD to the cart. Frigates, helicopters, surveillance platforms? Check, check, and check again.
But the appeal of these transactions is not limited to the equipment itself. These are not only arms sales, they are diplomatic contracts dressed as procurement. Each deal comes with an unspoken understanding: continued support, some degree of political shielding, and at times, an elegant silence on uncomfortable issues.
To be fair, the United States also knows how to keep this relationship running smoothly. Presidents from both parties have continued the tradition of friendly meetings, security briefings, and carefully prepared statements… everything needed to keep things on track.
What’s Public, What’s Not
Of course, everything is public. Until it isn’t.
The Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system is a marvel of structured opacity. Budgets are announced, packages are debated, and congressional notifications are sent. But the real details, the performance based incentives, and the industrial offsets that make French or British competitors quietly furious, those reside in a quieter place.
And then there’s the grey market of influence: retired generals as consultants, think tanks as intermediaries, and lobbyists as unofficial translators of foreign intent. All legal, all documented, and all very effective.
From the Saudi side, these deals serve multiple ends. Military modernization? Yes. Regional deterrence? Absolutely. But just as importantly: prestige.
A $100 billion package is not just a defense contract, it’s a press release, a statement of alignment, and a message to friends and rivals alike. It tells Tehran to think twice, assures Washington that the kingdom is “committed,” and reminds Paris and London that Riyadh’s procurement phone is still ringing.
Meanwhile, in Washington, these deals offer strategic continuity dressed in corporate language. Jobs are created, factories stay open, and presidential press conferences feature the magic word: billions.
Final Thoughts from the Orchestra Pit
The U.S.-Saudi relationship is not built on ideology. It’s built on military, finance, and politics. And while critics may balk at the ethical cost, the machinery of arms diplomacy keeps turning. Because in the end, both sides get exactly what they want.
The Kingdom gets its hardware and a geopolitical buffer. The United States gets influence, contracts, and another round of applause at the shareholder meeting.
In this rock show of power and pragmatism, everyone plays their part. Some sing, some strum, and some simply nod from the back row, knowing that in the world of defense, the most enduring sound is not the roar of the jet engine…it’s the quiet click of another deal signed.
Ahmet Işıktekiner – Defensehere
