The Obama administration announced on Wednesday potentially the largest overseas arms sale in US history.
Saudi Arabia has been given the green light to buy up to $60bn of weaponry from key US arms manufacturers.
On the Saudi shopping list is 84 new Boeing F-15 fighter jets, widely used in Iraq and Afghanistan, plus upgrades for the 70 they already own. The F-15 is not the newest fighter out there but the Saudis will get the same specification as recent US sales of similar aircraft to South Korea and Singapore.
They're also looking to snap up nearly 200 helicopters, including 70 Apache attack models, used by the US, Israeli and British forces.
Radar and naval contracts may also materialise.
The final price of the deal depends on how many options the Saudis take up over the next two decades.
The US administration has admitted Israel was consulted widely about the sale and, as if to make a point, the Saudis are being denied access to the very latest fighter jet technology - the yet to be completed F-35 Joint Strike Fighter - of which Israel has already bought 20, with options for more.
The state department denies the Saudi deal is all about the threat from Iran.
blogs.aljazeera.net
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