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Ex-General Claims Saudis Will Not Leak F-35 Tech; China Might Exploit Intelligence

Defence Technology

Business Honor: Saudis Won’t Leak F-35 Tech Risks

Business Honor
22 November, 2025

Experts and retired military commanders worry China's tech theft could impact U.S. F-35 sales to Saudi Arabia.

(Ret.) Gen. Charles Wald, a former U.S. Air Force officer who served as deputy commander of EUCOM, said that we have already said no to the UAE and Turkey about the business of selling the F-35 because of the potential for the technology to be exploited by the Chinese. "We told Turkey they're not going to get the F-35. We told the UAE they're not going to get it because there is concern that there could be an exploitation of technology to China," Wald said, adding, "That would probably be the biggest issue with Saudi Arabia getting the F-35 Not because they would give it to the Chinese. Because the Chinese could exploit through Intel, getting capability off that, but I'm not as worried as some," he said during a briefing at JINSA this week.

Gordon Chang, a specialist on China, stated that Beijing has shown its capability to compromise U.S. defense programs and should be viewed as a threat to the F-35 for a second time. "'We should assume China has everything at this point. They stole the entire plane once, and they probably did it again,” Chang told Fox News Digital. Chang stated that Washington must weigh the risks versus the reward for what would be a strengthening of ties with Riyadh. "'We need to seal up the relationship with the crown prince, especially if that gets him to sign an Abraham Accord. Let him have some F-35s that are designed down with capabilities," he added.

He also said that other U.S. partners could be of even more concern. "'I'm much more worried about South Korea having the plane and turning the plans over to China.' Over the years, Chinese intelligence services have been accused of trying to collect U.S. military and aerospace technology, including advanced propulsion systems, stealth designs, and avionics. U.S. officials have also accused Chinese cyber actors of stealing information from U.S. defense and aerospace programs, including, and as recently, as the components of the country's fifth-generation fighters."