The largest defense sales deal in history, worth nearly $142 billion, has been signed, providing Riyadh with cutting-edge warfare equipment and services

Today in Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump announced Saudi Arabia's commitment to invest $600 billion in the United States, "building economic ties that will last for generations to come", the White House said in a statement. "The first deals under the announcement strengthen our energy security, defense industry, technology leadership, and access to global infrastructure and critical minerals", the White House said.

Here are some of the many deals that have been completed: Saudi Arabian DataVolt is moving forward with plans to invest $20 billion in AI data centers and energy infrastructure in the United States. Google, DataVolt, Oracle, Salesforce, AMD, and Uber are committing to invest $80 billion in cutting-edge, transformative technologies in both countries. Iconic American companies, including Hill International, Jacobs, Parsons, and Aeconm, are building major infrastructure projects such as King Salman International Airport, King Salman Park, The Vault, Qiddiya City, and more, totaling $2 billion in services exports from the United States. Other major exports include GE Vernova’s gas turbines and energy solutions totaling $14.2 billion, and Boeing 737-8 passenger aircraft for AviLease totaling $4.8 billion.

In healthcare, Shamekh IV Solutions, LLC will invest $5.8 billion, including a facility in Michigan to launch a high-capacity intravenous fluid delivery facility. Investment partnerships include several sector funds with a strong emphasis on US employment, such as the $5 billion Energy Investment Fund, the $5 billion New Era Aerospace and Defense Technology Fund, and the $4 billion Enfield Sports Global Sports Fund, each of which channels significant capital into American industries, fostering innovation and creating high-quality jobs across the United States.

The statement continues: "The United States and Saudi Arabia have signed the largest defense sales agreement in history, worth nearly $142 billion, which will provide Saudi Arabia with cutting-edge defense equipment and services from more than a dozen US defense companies. The sales we intend to complete fall into five broad categories: advancing air power and space capabilities; air and missile defense; maritime and coastal security; border security and modernization of ground forces; and information and communications systems upgrades.

The package also includes extensive training and support to strengthen the Saudi military’s capacity, including strengthening military academies and military medical services. This agreement represents a significant investment in Saudi Arabia’s defense and regional security, building on American systems and training. The overall package quickly surpassed $600 billion, the largest set of trade deals ever between the two countries.

The strategic partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia has grown stronger over the past eight decades, ever since King Abdulaziz Al Saud and President Franklin D. Roosevelt met aboard the USS Quincy, which celebrated its 80th anniversary earlier this year. Significant agreements have been made since then. Among the most recent, notable for the agency is the agreement between NASA and the Saudi Space Agency to launch a CubeSat during NASA’s Artemis II test flight. The Saudi CubeSat will measure space weather at various distances from Earth and will be launched into high Earth orbit by a spacecraft adapter on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket after the Orion spacecraft has flown autonomously and safely with its crew of four astronauts.

Furthermore, the two countries recently agreed to modernize the Air Transport Agreement (ATS) to allow US airlines to transport cargo between Saudi Arabia and third countries without having to stop in the US, an important right for cargo hub operations. Saudi carriers will have the same rights to serve the US.

The White House statement also states: "Saudi Arabia remains our largest partner for foreign military sales, with active cases worth more than $129 billion. Our defense relationship with the Kingdom is stronger than ever, and the package signed today, the largest defense cooperation agreement in US history, is a clear demonstration of our commitment to strengthening our partnership". The agreement opens the door to greater participation by the US defense industry in long-term, sustainable partnerships with Saudi entities.

About the President Trump's tour of the Middle East, of which Saudi Arabia is the first stop, see also AVIONEWS.