US, SAUDI ARABIA SIGN US$142 BLN IN DEFENCE DEAL 

By Amirudin Ahmad

RIYADH, May 13 (Bernama) -- The United States (US) and Saudi Arabia signed a nearly US$142 billion defence deal on Tuesday, in what the White House dubbed as the “largest defence sales agreement in history”.

The agreement aims to provide Saudi Arabia with state-of-the-art warfighting equipment and services from over a dozen US defence firms, the White House said in a statement released on its website.

It covers five broad categories, namely air force advancement and space capabilities, air and missile defence, maritime and coastal security, border security and land forces modernisation, and  information and communication systems upgrades. 

“The package also includes extensive training and support to build the capacity of the Saudi armed forces, including enhancement of Saudi service academies and military medical services,” according to the statement. 

This deal represents a significant investment in Saudi Arabia’s defence and regional security, built on American systems and training, it added.

In addition to defence, the White House also highlighted plans for enhanced collaboration with Saudi Arabia in critical sectors such as health, energy and science.

This includes joint efforts in energy infrastructure development, mining and mineral resource exploration, a shared space mission, and a modernised Air Transport Agreement to facilitate direct cargo services between both countries.

Trump arrived in Riyadh early Tuesday morning to begin his four-day tour in the Middle East, which also includes stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US President is also scheduled to attend a summit with Gulf leaders on May 14, before continuing his visit to Doha, Qatar, later in the day, and to Abu Dhabi, UAE, on May 15.

The visit, mirroring his maiden international tour in 2017 that also began in Saudi Arabia, is widely seen as part of his broader diplomatic and economic engagement strategy in the Gulf.

Saudi Arabia is one of the United States’ largest trading partners in the Middle East, with Saudi direct investment in the US totalling US$9.5 billion in 2023, focused on the transportation, real estate, and automotive sectors.

In 2024, US-Saudi Arabia goods trade totalled US$25.9 billion, according to the White House.

-- BERNAMA