In a move that signals deepening military ties amid a shifting Middle East power balance, the U.S. State Department on May 2 approved a potential $3.5 billion sale of advanced air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia. The proposed deal, disclosed by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), includes 1,000 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs), 50 additional guidance sections, and an extensive package of support services, training, and equipment.
The sale marks one of the largest single AMRAAM transactions to date and reflects Riyadh’s strategy to assert regional air superiority, counter Iranian influence, and solidify its role as a frontline U.S. ally in the Persian Gulf. At the same time, it lays bare the complex balancing act Saudi Arabia is performing as it deepens ties with both Western and Eastern military suppliers.
The AIM-120C-8 is not just another missile—it’s a refined product of decades of U.S. air combat experience, combining speed, range, precision, and electronic warfare resilience. Manufactured by RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon), the missile is engineered for modern aerial battlespaces dominated by stealth, jamming, and multi-domain operations.
Capable of reaching speeds over Mach 4 and ranges up to 180 kilometers, the AIM-120C-8 improves significantly on its predecessors. Unlike traditional radar-guided missiles that require constant input from pilots, the AMRAAM operates with “fire-and-forget” capability. Once launched, its internal navigation system, augmented by GPS and active radar, takes over, allowing pilots to evade, maneuver, or target other threats.
The C-8 variant incorporates 15 upgraded circuit cards in its guidance section and supports real-time targeting data updates via Link 16—a secure military data network used by NATO and allied forces. This feature enhances the missile’s effectiveness against agile, high-performance targets, including next-gen aircraft and unmanned systems.
Its two-way data link and stealth detection capabilities make it a weapon not just for dogfights, but for complex, sensor-fused environments. The missile’s proximity-fused 18.1 kg warhead further ensures high kill probability against both manned aircraft and smaller threats like drones and cruise missiles.
First entering service in 1991, the AMRAAM has been used by over 40 nations and has proven its effectiveness in multiple theaters—from the skies of the Gulf War to recent drone intercepts over the Arabian Peninsula. With more than 4,900 test firings and at least 13 confirmed aerial combat kills, it remains one of the most battle-tested air-to-air missiles in existence.
Notably, in 2015, a Turkish F-16 shot down a Russian Su-24M using an AMRAAM, highlighting its reliability in politically volatile, high-risk encounters. In 2019, the missile was reportedly used during a skirmish between India and Pakistan, resulting in the downing of a MiG-21—a controversial incident that underscored the weapon’s deterrent and offensive roles.
Saudi Arabia has long employed earlier AMRAAM variants, notably the AIM-120C-7, during its military campaign in Yemen. These missiles have been critical in intercepting Houthi-launched drones and cruise missiles aimed at oil facilities and civilian infrastructure.
The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF), already among the most advanced in the region, is poised to integrate the AIM-120C-8 seamlessly into its operations. The RSAF’s primary platforms—the Boeing F-15C/D and F-15SA—are optimized for AMRAAM deployment. The F-15SA, in particular, includes the AN/APG-63(V)3 AESA radar, which pairs perfectly with the missile’s fire-control systems.
Saudi Arabia also operates the Eurofighter Typhoon, a multirole jet equipped with the CAPTOR radar system. Though primarily a European platform, its ongoing radar upgrades are enhancing compatibility with U.S. weaponry like the AMRAAM, ensuring tactical versatility.
E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft further enhance the RSAF’s kill chain, providing long-range radar and communications that extend the detection and engagement envelope of both aircraft and missiles.
While Saudi Arabia has not yet acquired the F-35 Lightning II, the C-8’s compatibility with fifth-generation platforms positions the kingdom to expand into stealth-capable operations in the future.
The missile deal comes at a time of escalating tensions with Iran and renewed threats from non-state actors. Iran has expanded its drone and missile programs, including the development of systems capable of reaching deep into Saudi territory. Tehran’s regional proxies, such as the Houthi rebels in Yemen and militias in Iraq and Syria, continue to target Saudi infrastructure with increasingly sophisticated projectiles.
The AIM-120C-8 provides a credible response. Its extended range and counter-jamming features offer an edge in intercepting drones, cruise missiles, and low-observable aircraft. This is particularly critical given the failure of legacy systems to deal with swarm or saturation attacks, as seen during the 2019 Abqaiq–Khurais strike on Aramco facilities.
This new missile stockpile arms the kingdom with a stronger deterrent and a faster, more effective way to respond to asymmetric threats—especially those launched from mobile or concealed positions.
The scale of the deal signals more than just a weapons transaction—it reaffirms the U.S. commitment to Saudi Arabia as a strategic partner, despite friction over human rights, oil policy, and regional diplomacy. The $3.5 billion figure, while substantial, aligns with similar past sales. A $650 million package approved in 2021 for 280 AMRAAMs was positioned as a replenishment effort to replace stocks expended in Yemen.
But Congressional review could present hurdles. Lawmakers—particularly those skeptical of Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the Yemen conflict—may raise concerns over arms proliferation, civilian harm, and the kingdom’s broader military behavior.
Under U.S. arms export laws, Congress has 30 days to review and potentially block the sale. While major defense deals to Saudi Arabia have passed in the past, several recent resolutions have sought to restrict sales due to humanitarian concerns. The Biden and Trump administrations both faced bipartisan pressure to curtail weapons exports to Riyadh, though those efforts were largely symbolic.
Saudi Arabia’s defense diversification—especially its procurement of Chinese systems—adds a layer of complexity to the missile sale. In recent years, the kingdom has purchased the HQ-9 surface-to-air missile system and CH-4B attack drones from China. These systems fill specific roles and are reportedly cheaper, but their integration with Western equipment is technically fraught.
Chinese and U.S. systems often lack interoperability, especially in terms of data sharing, encryption standards, and battlefield coordination. Analysts worry that the use of Chinese platforms could limit the effectiveness of joint U.S.-Saudi operations and expose sensitive American technologies to foreign exploitation.
From a U.S. perspective, the AMRAAM sale may also serve as a strategic counterweight to Beijing’s expanding footprint in the Middle East. By maintaining technological leadership and providing systems like the AIM-120C-8—still considered among the best of its class—Washington can keep Riyadh anchored in its sphere of influence.
RTX Corporation, the deal’s principal contractor, is well-positioned to handle the scale of the sale. The company’s Tucson, Arizona facility has been the central hub for AMRAAM production for decades. In 2023, the firm received a $1.15 billion contract to produce a mix of AIM-120D-3 and C-8 variants for domestic and allied forces.
The package to Saudi Arabia will include logistics, training, spare parts, and integration services. These elements are essential for operational readiness and ensure that the RSAF can fully deploy the weapons without significant delays.
From a business perspective, the deal reinforces RTX’s standing as a global missile supplier and reflects a broader trend toward high-tech, high-value weapons systems as nations confront more complex security threats.
The AIM-120C-8 may be cutting-edge, but its role is transitional. The U.S. Air Force is already testing the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), a longer-range, faster, and more survivable system designed to counter adversaries like the Chinese PL-15.
The PL-15, reportedly capable of hitting targets 200–300 kilometers away, has spurred rapid upgrades in Western missile tech. While the AIM-120C-8 doesn’t quite match that range, it competes effectively through superior guidance, targeting flexibility, and countermeasure resilience.
For Saudi Arabia, the C-8 offers a platform that can evolve. Its modular design allows software updates and integration with next-gen aircraft and radar systems, providing a pathway toward a more robust future force.
At its core, the missile sale underscores Saudi Arabia’s attempt to navigate an increasingly multipolar global landscape. The kingdom wants to retain U.S. support and weapons access while hedging through partnerships with China and other rising powers. This strategy reflects not only a desire for operational diversity but a recognition that future conflicts may involve multiple axes of influence.
The challenge will be managing the contradictions that come with this approach—especially as Washington becomes more sensitive to tech transfers, cybersecurity threats, and the diffusion of advanced weapons to peer competitors.
The $3.5 billion AMRAAM deal is not just a defense contract. It is a message of strategic alignment, a signal of regional intent, and a pivotal moment in U.S.-Saudi relations. With regional tensions simmering and the global arms race accelerating, Riyadh’s investment in the AIM-120C-8 is a clear bet on American military superiority and a statement of intent to dominate its aerial domain.
Yet, the success of this bet will depend on more than missile performance. It will rest on the kingdom’s ability to integrate systems, navigate international politics, and respond nimbly to the ever-changing dynamics of Middle Eastern security.
