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China’s aggressive campaign to steal American military technology is emerging as a central concern in the debate over whether the United States should sell F-35 fighter planes to Saudi Arabia, according to experts and retired senior military commanders.
(Retired) General Charles Wald, a former US Air Force officer and former deputy commander of EUCOM, said the United States had already rejected the UAE and Turkey because of concerns about Chinese technology exploitation.
“We told Turkey they wouldn’t get the F-35. We told the UAE they wouldn’t get it because there were concerns that there could be a transfer of technology to China,” Wald said. “That’s probably the biggest issue with Saudi Arabia getting the F-35… not because they’ll give it to the Chinese. Because the Chinese can take advantage of it through intel, get the capability, but I’m not as worried as some people,” Wald said during a briefing at JINSA this week.
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President Donald Trump welcomes Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)
China expert Gordon Chang said Beijing has already demonstrated its ability to infiltrate US defense programs and should be considered if it is again targeting the F-35. “We should assume that China already has everything in place. They’ve already stolen an entire plane once. They’ve probably done it again,” Chang told Fox News Digital.
He argued that Washington must balance the risks with the strategic benefits of strengthening ties with Riyadh. “We need to strengthen the relationship with the Crown Prince, especially if it helps him sign the Abraham Accords. He should remove the F-35s,” he said.
He said other US partners could present even greater concerns. “I’m much more concerned about South Korea having the planes and turning the plans over to China.”
Chinese intelligence services have been implicated for years in efforts to acquire US military and aerospace technology, including stealth designs, propulsion systems and advanced avionics. US officials have previously linked Chinese cyber actors to thefts targeting key US defense programs, including components resembling fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
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An F-35A Lightning II aircraft assigned to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, prepares to be refueled by a 459th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 Stratotanker during a flight to Graf Ignativo Air Base, Bulgaria, April 28, 2017. (us Air Force)
Against that backdrop, the United States is considering whether to approve Saudi Arabia’s request for the F-35 as part of broader negotiations that also include defense assurances and possible diplomatic progress with Israel.
(Retired) Lieutenant General Robert Ashley, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said the United States uses foreign military sales monitoring protocols to reduce risk, but the security is not perfect. “One of the things we do through Foreign Military Sales is end-use case monitoring protocols,” Ashley said. “We look very closely at how these types of advanced systems are used… but they are not perfect.”
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In a file photo released by Xinhua News Agency on April 12, 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks after reviewing the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) navy fleet in the South China Sea. (Li Gang/Xinhua via AP, file)
Despite China’s threat, retired commanders said they do not believe the Saudi F-35 acquisition will weaken Israel’s qualitative military edge.
Wald emphasized that Israeli pilots, planners and engineers maintain superior levels of training and innovation. “There is a huge gap in Israel’s actual pilot capability compared to other countries,” Wald said. He said Israel has integrated its own upgrades into the aircraft. “The Israelis slightly modified their own F-35… They created or developed [additional capabilities] “Just before the attack on Iran.”
An Israeli Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter plane takes off during an air show in Tel Aviv on April 26, 2023. (Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images)
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Wald said that even if approved, Riyadh would not get the aircraft for years. “At the very least, there’s probably five years to go before they get the F-35,” he said.
Ashley and Wald said that in the long term, additional F-35s in the region could enhance shared situational awareness and strengthen collective defense against Iran. Retired Vice Admiral Mark Fox said the fighter’s data-sharing architecture means more aircraft in Allied hands improves overall performance. “One thing about the F-35 is that it talks to every other F-35,” Fox said. “Having more F-35s in the field really increases the coalition’s capabilities.”
