Saudi Arabia fighter pilots not likely to soon train in Fort Smith

It is unlikely military pilots from Saudi Arabia will soon be in Fort Smith to train with the F-35 fighter jet. An announced deal to sell the advanced jet to Saudi Arabia has yet to be signed, and it could be years before the jets would be available for pilot training.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday (Nov. 18) said he plans to sell arguably the world’s most advanced fighter to Saudi Arabia. The announcement coincided with the arrival of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a state visit.

Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith was selected in March 2023 by the U.S. Air Force to be the long-term pilot training center supporting F-35 fighter planes purchased by Singapore, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Finland, and other countries participating in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

The 85th Fighter Group and the 57th Fighter Squadron, both under the Eglin, Fla.-based 33rd Fighter Wing, are based at Ebbing and are responsible for training F-35 pilots. Ebbing is co-located with the Fort Smith Regional Airport. The estimated total cost to complete the training center is more than $1.2 billion, and around $600 million has been appropriated since 2021 for the center.

A deal to sell the jet to Saudi Arabia could face scrutiny or objection from Israel and other U.S. allies, Congress, or be scuttled by a future U.S. president, according to numerous reports.

Bradley Bowman, senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Center on Military and Political Power, said in a report from The Hill that Congress could require the Trump administration to include provisions preventing China from acquiring F-35 technology from the Saudis.

A Politico report indicates that it may take Lockheed Martin, which produces the planes in Fort Worth, Texas, years to make an F-35 variant for Saudi Arabia.

“Politically this signals a strong commitment by the U.S. agreeing to sell its most advanced fifth-generation fighter to a country in the Middle East other than Israel,” Firas Maksad at the Eurasia Group, said in the Politico report.

He also said “there will be opportunities in the future for Congress to put a hold on it.” The Biden Administration considered an F-35 deal with Saudi Arabia but eventually declined to sell the jets to the Middle East country largely because of concerns from the Pentagon, and human rights issues with the Saudi monarchy.

The U.S. Air Force Air Education Training Command, which is in charge of FMS pilot training, told Talk Business & Politics there are no details to share about possible Saudi pilot training at Ebbing.

“The Air Force is still working with the Department of War to determine any potential requirements related to the newly signed Strategic Defense Agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia,” the command said in a statement. “We don’t have further details to share at this time.”

Air Education and Training Command is based at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, and was activated in January 1942, making it the oldest major command in the Air Force, according to the training command.