The United States on Wednesday approved a $5 billion sale to South Korea of F-35s, top-of-the-line fighter-jets with stealth capacity, as tensions soar with North Korea.

The United States on Wednesday approved a $5 billion sale to South Korea of F-35s, top-of-the-line fighter-jets with stealth capacity, as tensions soar with North Korea.

The State Department informed Congress that it had given the green light to the sale of 25 of the aircraft made by Lockheed Martin as well as engines and related equipment.

The sale “will improve the Republic of Korea’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing credible defense capability to deter aggression in the region and ensure interoperability with US forces,” a State Department statement said.

“The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region,” it said.

South Korea has operated F-35s since 2018. The United States only approves sale of the jets to its closest partners, with Turkey booted from the F-35 program after a major purchase from Russia of a missile defense system.