Saudi Arabia is attracting trade’s curiosity on the World Protection Present, with a continued push for the F-35, a proposed F-15 improve, and rumors about Kaan and JF-17.
The modernization of Saudi Arabia’s navy is within the highlight on the ongoing World Protection Present, which is be held from Feb. 8 to 12, 2026, in Riyadh. The trade is working to safe main offers for the procurement of latest superior programs because the nation is gearing as much as face the renewed threats within the area.
F-35 Lightning II
The F-35 Lightning II took middle stage, with an actual scale mockup of an F-35A in Royal Saudi Air Drive markings. Apparently, the mockup is the one F-35 on the bottom on the World Protection Present, whereas two F-35Cs assigned to the united statesAbraham Lincoln plane service performed a flyby for the opening of the occasion.
F-35 mock-up with Saudi flag showcased at World Protection Present 2026 in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia plans to buy as much as 48 F-35s.
Demo flyovers of F-35s with Saudi flag are additionally being carried out. pic.twitter.com/Ds9yvdgFiO
— Conflict Report (@clashreport) February 8, 2026
The corporate instructed media that there are ongoing government-to-government discussions concerning the F-35. As we reported in November 2025 right here at The Aviationist, the prospect of Saudi Arabia turning into the following Center Jap operator of the F-35 Lightning II seems to have accelerated sharply following a sequence of high-profile statements from U.S. President Donald Trump and the signing of a brand new U.S.–Saudi Strategic Protection Settlement (SDA).
The nation has pursued the F-35 for years, though the acquisition by no means grew to become actuality due to varied causes, together with the highs and lows within the relations between the 2 nations lately. Trump mentioned in November he expects the sale of F-35s to Saudi Arabia to proceed quickly: “We can be doing that, we’ll be promoting F-35s. They need to purchase them, they’ve been a terrific ally.”
F-35 fighter jets fly over Riyadh in the course of the World Protection Present 2026, as Saudi Arabia prepares to obtain 48 plane beneath a landmark cope with america. pic.twitter.com/oFsqqgxOuD
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) February 9, 2026
The SDA signed by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia included U.S. authorization for each the F-35 sale and the acquisition of practically 300 M1 Abrams tanks. Whereas the variety of F-35s was not formally disclosed, a number of sources point out that Saudi Arabia is in search of a fleet of as much as 48 plane.
The potential deal, nevertheless, nonetheless faces some hurdles. One is the U.S. authorized obligation to protect Israel’s qualitative navy edge (QME) within the area, a part of the 2008 Arms Export Management Act, which requires that any Center Jap arms sale not erode Israel’s capacity to keep up a technological and operational benefit.
A show mannequin of the F-35 plane bearing the brand of the Royal Saudi Air Drive is showcased on the World Protection Present in Riyadh.#SaudiArabia pic.twitter.com/Nt6AeSYQgj
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) February 8, 2026
Israel has traditionally opposed the export of the F-35 to Arab states, one among them being Qatar. Israeli media reported that the Israeli Air Drive has already raised considerations, producing a white paper warning that Saudi Arabia’s acquisition may “erode or considerably degrade” its QME.
F-15SA Improve
Boeing has proposed to the RSAF an improve to convey its F-15 Eagle fleet to the identical normal of the U.S. Air Drive’s F-15EX Eagle II. In accordance with World Air Forces 2026, as of December 2025, the stock included 232 F-15s, of which 84 are the brand new F-15SAs, round 68 are F-15SRs and 80 are the sooner F-15C/D fashions.
The F-15s are the spine of the Saudi fleet, serving alongside 72 Eurofighter Typhoons and 81 Twister IDS jets, the latter about to be phased out. An improve already noticed the F-15S being dropped at the F-15SR configuration in parallel with the acquisition of the F-15SA.
A Saudi Royal Air Drive pilot thrilled crowds on the World Protection Present in Riyadh with a wide ranging aerial show that includes F-15SA fighter jets, showcasing Saudi Arabia’s superior fight plane and aviation capabilities. pic.twitter.com/F486ZipVsZ
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) February 9, 2026
“We at present [are] speaking proper now with the Royal Saudi Air Drive on F-15EX,” mentioned Vince Logsdon, Boeing’ vice chairman for Worldwide Enterprise Growth, in line with Aviation Week. “The F-15 is 52 years outdated, and the F-15EX is the newest and best [version] of that … and we’re taking a look at potential upgrades to the SA plane and potential new buys as properly.”
In 1992, Saudi Arabia procured 72 F-15S, a spinoff of the F-15E Strike Eagle, with deliveries going from 1995 to 1999. In 2010, the nation was granted a International Army Sale (FMS) for 84 new-built F-15SA jets, whose deliveries began in December 2016, and the improve of the F-15S.
As a part of the brand new improve, in line with Aviation Week, Boeing is proposing the alternative of the APG-63v3 lively electronically scanned array (AESA) with the brand new APG-82 and the alternative of the AN/ALQ-239 Digital Digital Warfare System (DEWS) with the AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive Energetic Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS), in addition to the introduction of a brand new cockpit based mostly on massive space shows.
Notably, the F-15SA was not too long ago used for the Harpoon Block II Replace (HIIU) check marketing campaign which concerned three flight assessments of the weapon between 2025 and 2026, as we reported right here at The Aviationist. Actually, the Saudi F-15SA is among the two variants (the opposite being the South Korean F-15K) that may make use of the AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile and its spinoff AGM-84H/Ok Standoff Land Assault Missile-Prolonged Vary (SLAM-ER).
A protracted stroll getting my steps within the run as much as the World Protection Present right here within the desert close to Riyadh revealed this reasonably pretty and colourfully-ish marked Royal Saudi Air Drive (RSAF) F-15SA #WDS2026 pic.twitter.com/onasZoCfQP
— Tony Osborne (@Rotorfocus) February 6, 2026
Kaan
In January 2025, we reported about Turkish media mentioning Saudi Arabia is likely to be focused on buying over 100 TAI (Turkish Aerospace Industries) Kaan fighter jets, the superior fighter plane developed by Turkey beneath its TFX (Turkish Fighter-X) program. Nevertheless, no official affirmation was supplied from both of the events concerned in regards to the attainable acquisition.
Earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has once more hinted that Saudi Arabia would possibly be a part of the Kaan program, mentioning “a risk of joint funding with Saudi Arabia on this space.” In accordance with Aviation Week, TAI can also be displaying a scale mannequin of the Kaan with a Saudi flag on the World Protection Present.
Saudi flag painted on the tail of a scale mannequin of the @TUSAS_TR #Kaan right here at #WDS2026, a attainable trace possibly of what President Erdogan talked about following his visits to KSA and Egypt earlier this week? Observe: It is a mannequin of essentially the most up-to-date Kaan configuration. pic.twitter.com/3EMhiAbb6K
— Tony Osborne (@Rotorfocus) February 6, 2026
The plane, unveiled in 2019, was rolled out in March 2023 and flew for the primary time again in February 2024, however it’s nonetheless beneath growth. A second prototype is about to fly quickly, with a 3rd one reportedly in development and likewise set to fly this 12 months.
The primary deliveries are scheduled to the Turkish Air Drive by 2028, with the jets utilizing Normal Electrical F-110-GE129 engines which might get replaced by indigenous engines sooner or later. In the meantime, the plane additionally scored its first export buyer, with Indonesia planning to purchase 48 plane, for a complete estimated worth of $10 billion, following the settlement introduced in 2025.
Notably, the RSAF has additionally ordered Turkish Bayraktar Akinci MALE (Medium Altitude Lengthy Endurance) drones again in 2023, with Baykar saying the deal was “the most important protection and aviation export contract within the historical past of the Republic of Turkey.” The acquisition of the Kaans would additional consolidate the 2 nations’ navy collaboration.
JF-17C Block III
Saudi Arabia can also be mentioned to have an interest within the JF-17C Thunder Block III, as a part of a protection pact with Pakistan signed in September 2025. The plane can also be on show on the World Protection Present in Riyahd.
On the World Protection Exhibition in Riyadh, the Pakistan Air Drive’s JF-17 Thunder has attracted sturdy curiosity from guests and defence consultants, standing out amongst fighter jets displayed by the US, Saudi Arabia and different nations.
pic.twitter.com/WqX4x29FPl
— Waseem Abbasi (@Wabbasi007) February 9, 2026
In accordance with Reuters, following the pact, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are in talks to transform about $2 billion of Saudi loans right into a JF-17 fighter jet deal. Stories point out that the RSAF would possibly purchase between 16 and 40 JF-17Cs in a deal valued as much as $4 billion, with $2 extra billion reserved for weapons, coaching and help.
The JF-17 Block III is the newest and most succesful evolution of the plane collectively developed by Pakistan and China. Key upgrades embrace an Energetic Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, reportedly the KLJ-7A, a wide-angle holographic Head-Up Show, a helmet-mounted show and sight system, an upgraded digital warfare suite, and a brand new glass cockpit.
The kind can also be appropriate with a variety of beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, together with the PL-15, and a wide range of air-to-surface munitions. With these enhancements, the Block III variant brings the JF-17 nearer to 4.5-generation efficiency requirements.
The RSAF not too long ago had an opportunity to see the JF-17’s capabilities up shut, because the fighter took half within the Spears of Victory 2025 train in Saudi Arabia. On that event, the Pakistani Air Drive executed a continuous deployment flight from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia and again using air-to-air refueling.
Collaborative Fight Plane
Normal Atomics Aeronautical Programs would possibly increase its relations within the Center East, as the corporate expects to provide as much as 200 Collaborative Fight Plane (CCA) to Saudi Arabia. GA-ASI’s president David Alexander mentioned in the course of the Dubai Airshow 2025 that the corporate is in talks for a deal concerning as much as 130 MQ-9Bs within the Quick Take-Off and Touchdown (STOL) variant and as much as 200 of the Gambit sequence.
That is how all CCAs needs to be painted! We already know Saudi Arabia is focused on collaborative fight plane, may we see the same deal to the Calidus/GA-ASI tie-up we noticed in Abu Dhabi final month. #WDS2026 pic.twitter.com/uzLaA0IPw2
— Tony Osborne (@Rotorfocus) February 6, 2026
On the ongoing World Protection Present, the corporate has proven a rendering and a full measurement mockup of the YFQ-42 in Royal Saudi Air Drive livery. The plane is GA-ASI’s entry for the U.S. Air Drive’s CCA program and can also be a part of the Gambit sequence.
