US intelligence officials have raised concerns that a proposed $24 billion sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia could potentially expose sensitive American military technology to China, according to The New York Times.
US analysts reportedly warned that Beijing could obtain access to advanced fighter technology through espionage in Saudi Arabia or through its military and security cooperation with Riyadh.
A Pentagon Defense Intelligence Agency assessment prepared several months ago examined China’s military access to Saudi bases and the kingdom’s use of Chinese technology in its telecommunications systems, a US official told the newspaper.
The assessment also questioned whether the US and Saudi Arabia would be able to maintain sufficiently secure facilities to safeguard sensitive F-35 equipment and technology.
According to the report, the assessment has been circulated among several US government agencies and congressional offices, along with similar evaluations prepared by other intelligence organizations.
The concerns are not new. The Defense Intelligence Agency produced a broader assessment with similar warnings in late 2025, when the Trump administration was considering a potential sale of dozens of F-35 aircraft to Saudi Arabia, according to the newspaper.
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