New Delhi, Sept. 18 -- The US State Department notified Congress that it plans to sell up to 48 Lockheed Martin F-35 warplanes to Saudi Arabia in a potential $24.3 billion deal that could reshape the military balance in the Middle East and test Washington's long-standing commitment to preserving Israel's "qualitative military edge".

The US State Department said the proposed sale would also include 49 Pratt & Whitney engines, communications equipment, spare parts, and other support.

"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region," the State Departmen...