UNS Report
Despite seeking to avoid direct military confrontation with Iran, Saudi Arabia is continuing to strengthen its defence capabilities as persistent regional tensions and threats from armed groups — particularly the Houthis in Yemen — push Riyadh to reinforce its military deterrence.
In its latest move, the US State Department has approved a potential sale of military equipment to Saudi Arabia worth up to $5.75 billion, covering advanced precision-guidance systems, munitions and tank engines.
The larger of the two proposed deals, valued at approximately $5 billion, includes around 5,000 Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range (JDAM-ER) guidance kits, together with bombs of various weights, support equipment and associated services. Boeing is expected to serve as the principal contractor.
A second proposed sale, valued at approximately $750 million, covers 60 AGT-1500 gas-turbine engines for Saudi Army tanks, as well as spare parts, logistical support and engineering services. Honeywell is expected to execute the contract.
The latest approvals follow Washington’s decision in July to approve another potential Saudi arms package worth approximately $1.96 billion, involving up to 20,000 APKWS-II guidance units for precision-guided rockets.
Taken together, the deals point to a broader Saudi effort to enhance its precision-strike capabilities, sustain its armoured fleet and strengthen its ability to respond rapidly to emerging threats.
Expanding the Defence Partnership
Saudi Arabia’s efforts to reinforce its security posture extend beyond weapons procurement. Riyadh has also moved to deepen its strategic defence partnerships, most notably through a recently concluded trilateral defence agreement with Pakistan and Türkiye.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, following months of speculation over the possibility of a closer security alignment among the three predominantly Muslim countries.
The arrangement comes against the backdrop of continuing conflicts and strategic competition across the Middle East, where the security environment remains volatile and the risk of escalation continues to shape regional defence planning.
A Strategy of Deterrence
Saudi Arabia’s emerging security posture therefore appears to rest on a clear strategic calculation: avoiding war does not mean being unprepared for it.
Rather than pursuing direct confrontation with Iran, Riyadh appears to be concentrating on strengthening its ability to deter and respond to military threats through a combination of advanced US-made weapons, improved precision-strike capabilities, sustained armoured forces and expanded defence partnerships.
The approach reflects a broader shift in Saudi defence planning from reliance on individual weapons systems towards a more comprehensive deterrence architecture. US arms supplies provide advanced technological capabilities, while partnerships with countries such as Pakistan and Türkiye offer additional strategic depth.
For Riyadh, the objective appears to be not necessarily to prepare for an imminent war, but to ensure that any potential adversary — whether Iran, the Houthis or another armed actor — faces a significantly higher military and political cost if it chooses to escalate.
In this context, Saudi Arabia’s growing defence expenditure and expanding military partnerships can be viewed as part of a deterrence-by-denial strategy: reducing the ability of hostile actors to inflict unacceptable damage while preserving Saudi Arabia’s freedom of action should deterrence fail.
