Skip to the story
All StoriesPoliticsConflict & SecurityBusiness & EconomyScience & TechHealthClimateMedia
All stories
Politics77 outlets ran this3 min read

US approves $5.75bn military sales to Saudi Arabia

State Department greenlights deals for bombs and tank engines, citing national security objectives.

AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Published
US approves $5.75bn military sales to Saudi Arabia

What this story says

  • The U.S. State Department approved two military sales to Saudi Arabia on September 4, 2026, totaling $5.75 billion.
  • The approved sales include Joint Direct Attack Munitions-Extend Range (JDAM-ER) and engines for Abrams tanks.
  • Boeing is the prime contractor for the JDAM-ER sale, and Honeywell for the tank engine sale.
  • The sales are intended to support U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by enhancing Saudi Arabia's defense capabilities.

Who covered it

Left 15%(4)Centre 27%(7)Right 58%(15)

Percentages are shares of the 26 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 51 of the 77 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .

Trust

60/100

Craft

60/100

Hype

40/100

77 sources · methodology

The U.S. State Department approved two deals for military equipment sales to Saudi Arabia on Friday, September 4, 2026. The total value of the approved sales is $5.75 billion. The sales include Joint Direct Attack Munitions-Extend Range (JDAM-ER) and engines for Abrams tanks. Boeing is the prime contractor for the JDAM-ER sale, and Honeywell is the prime contractor for the tank engine sale. The State Department stated that these sales are intended to support U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by enhancing Saudi Arabia's defense capabilities.

Disagreement on total value

While the U.S. State Department approved two deals totaling $5.75 billion, some reports specified different figures. Seeking Alpha reported the combined total as $5.75 billion. However, other reports focused on a $5 billion sale for JDAM-ER and associated equipment, with some also mentioning a separate $750 million sale for tank engines. SANA reported the total as $5.75 billion, with $5 billion for the first deal and $750 million for the second. Armed Forces Press and Korrespondent.net reported a $5 billion sale for JDAM-ER, while Haber7 reported $5 billion for smart munitions and $750 million for engines. El Pais reported a sale worth 4.3 billion euros, and El Periódico reported approximately $5 billion (about 4.3 billion euros).

What the coverage left out

None of the left-rated reports mention the specific number of JDAM-ER kits or bombs included in the sale. The centre-rated reports did not mention the specific number of JDAM-ER kits or bombs, except for The Statesman which stated over 10,000 JDAM kits and 10,000 bombs. None of the right-rated reports mentioned the specific number of JDAM-ER kits or bombs, except for Korrespondent.net which specified 10,000 JDAM-ER aerial bombs and guidance kits, including 5,000 227 kg ammunition and an additional 5,000 907 kg bombs.

Tags:#USMilitarySales#SaudiArabia#MiddleEast#ArmsDeals#JDAMER#AbramsTanks

Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 1 time, most recently on 5 Sept 2026, 13:01, and will add the sides that appear.

How each side covered it

Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.

Left

4 rated outlets

  • The left-rated reports led on the U.S. State Department's approval of military equipment sales to Saudi Arabia. SANA, which provided a full report, detailed both approved deals: one for $5 billion including JDAM-ER and other military equipment to enhance air defence, and a second for $750 million for 60 AGT-1500 engines for Abrams tanks. SANA also named Boeing and Honeywell as prime contractors. El Pais and Zeit Online highlighted the $5 billion figure for bombs and weapons, respectively, with Zeit Online noting that the U.S. government wants to deliver these weapons to Saudi Arabia because the country is targeted by Iranian attacks and that the U.S. Congress still needs to approve the sales. Al-Monitor also focused on the JDAM-ER sale for $5 billion, naming Boeing as the principal contractor.

Centre

7 rated outlets

  • Centre-rated reports focused on the U.S. State Department's approval of a $5 billion sale of bombs and guidance kits to Saudi Arabia. The Express Tribune, The Statesman, Channels Television, and WTVB all highlighted this $5 billion figure. The Express Tribune stated the sale aims to boost Saudi airborne and homeland defence amid Iranian and Houthi strikes. The Statesman detailed the package as including over 10,000 JDAM kits and 10,000 bombs. Defence Blog, however, led with a separate $750 million sale for 60 AGT-1500 tank engines to Saudi Arabia, noting Congress was notified. El Periódico reported on the approval of glider bombs worth about $5 billion (4.3 billion euros) to strengthen the safety of a major ally in the face of regional instability. Reuters also reported on the $5 billion JDAM-ER sale, naming Boeing as the principal contractor.

Right

15 rated outlets

  • Right-rated reports generally focused on the $5 billion sale of JDAM-ER bombs and guidance kits to Saudi Arabia. Armed Forces Press reported a $5 billion JDAM-ER bomb sale, naming Boeing as prime contractor and stating Washington is arming Gulf partners to face the Iranian threat. Korrespondent.net reported a $5.7 billion total sale of weapons to Saudis, specifying 10,000 JDAM-ER aerial bombs and guidance kits. ABP News and The Tribune also reported a $5 billion sale of bombs and guidance kits, mentioning JDAM-ER systems. Latestly and aninews.in similarly reported the $5 billion sale of munitions and guidance kits. Times of India stated the $5 billion sale of bombs and guidance kits aims to enhance the security of a 'major non-NATO ally' against regional threats. Seeking Alpha reported the combined total of $5.75 billion for JDAM-ER and AGT-1500 engines.

Questions about this coverage

How did the left and right cover US approves $5.75bn military sales to Saudi Arabia?
Of the 26 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 15% are rated left, 27% are rated centre, 58% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 77. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
Is US approves $5.75bn military sales to Saudi Arabia left or right?
Neither side dominates it. Of the 26 rated outlets on this story, 15% are rated left, 27% are rated centre, 58% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
Is the coverage of US approves $5.75bn military sales to Saudi Arabia biased?
US approves $5.75bn military sales to Saudi Arabia is one event reported by 77 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
Which outlets covered US approves $5.75bn military sales to Saudi Arabia?
77 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
What military equipment has the U.S. approved for sale to Saudi Arabia?
The U.S. State Department has approved two deals for military equipment sales to Saudi Arabia totaling $5.75 billion. These include Joint Direct Attack Munitions-Extend Range (JDAM-ER) and engines for Abrams tanks.
What is the total value of the approved military sales to Saudi Arabia?
The total value of the two approved military equipment sales to Saudi Arabia is $5.75 billion. One deal is for JDAM-ER and associated equipment valued at $5 billion, and the other is for Abrams tank engines valued at $750 million.
Which companies are involved in these military sales to Saudi Arabia?
Boeing is the prime contractor for the Joint Direct Attack Munitions-Extend Range (JDAM-ER) sale, and Honeywell is the prime contractor for the sale of engines for Abrams tanks.
Why are these military sales being made to Saudi Arabia?
The U.S. State Department stated that the sales are intended to support U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives. The aim is to enhance Saudi Arabia's defense capabilities and its ability to counter current and future threats.

Read it at the source

77 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.

Left

4

Centre

7

Right

15
Show 7 more

Not rated

51
Show 43 more

How did this read?

About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.

More in Politics

All Politics →
EU joins US sanctions campaign against Iran3 min readEU joins US sanctions campaign against IranRead storySultan Haitham bin Tarik to visit UK October 20-223 min readSultan Haitham bin Tarik to visit UK October 20-22Read storyA mock-up of the triumphal arch was shown at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall. Photo: AP PHOTO2 min readJudge Tanya Chutkan orders 48‑hour notice before work on Trump archRead story

Elsewhere on the site

Trump says US may strike Iran's Pickaxe MountainConflict & Security•3 min readTrump says US may strike Iran's Pickaxe MountainFILE PHOTO: Ranking Member U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) speaks at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 22, 2026. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon/File PhotoConflict & Security•2 min readUS military disables ad trackers on government devicesBenjamin NetanyahuConflict & Security•4 min readNetanyahu says Iran's government overthrow is achievableIran warns US of forceful response to Israeli attack on Lebanon ridgeConflict & Security•3 min readIran warns US of forceful response to Israeli attack on Lebanon ridge
US approves $5.75bn Saudi arms sales | MediaBias News