The U.S. State Department has approved a new arms deal with Saudi Arabia involving precision-guided weapon systems, the Pentagon confirmed on Thursday.

The deal marks another significant transaction in the ongoing U.S.-Saudi defense relationship and comes amid increasing scrutiny of American arms sales to the Gulf kingdom.

The latest approval adds to a growing list of military agreements between the two countries under former President Donald Trump’s administration. In July, the State Department authorized a separate $2.8 billion deal that included logistical support, joint planning programs, and equipment servicing for American-made aircraft used by Saudi forces.

A memorandum from the State Department to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency at the time stated that the arrangement would enhance Saudi Arabia’s military readiness and strengthen both current and future capabilities. The support focused on the Royal Saudi Air Force, particularly on key platforms such as C-130 transport aircraft, E-3 airborne surveillance planes, and Bell helicopters.

The arms approval comes as Saudi Arabia continues to expand its defense expenditures at a rapid pace. According to the kingdom’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), military spending has increased at an average annual rate of 4.5 percent since 1960, reaching $75.8 billion in 2024. This places Saudi Arabia as the fifth-largest military spender globally and the largest in the Arab world.

GAMI reported that the defense budget for 2025 is projected at $78 billion—accounting for 21 percent of the country’s total government expenditure and 7.1 percent of its GDP. This makes Saudi Arabia responsible for 3.1 percent of the world’s total military spending, which currently stands at $2.44 trillion.

The continued growth in defense investment signals Saudi Arabia’s strategic aim to modernize its armed forces and strengthen regional security partnerships, even as critics question the humanitarian and geopolitical implications of large-scale arms transfers to the kingdom. (ILKHA)