Doctrine / US–Israel defense
Qualitative Military Edge (QME)
The US commitment to preserving Israel's military-technological superiority over regional rivals.
Qualitative Military Edge (QME) is the longstanding US policy — codified into American law in 2008 — of ensuring Israel maintains a technological and capability advantage over any credible combination of regional adversaries. In practice, QME shapes which advanced US weapons systems can be sold in the Middle East and on what terms, functioning as a check on arms sales to other regional buyers. It underpins Israel's access to top-tier platforms such as the F-35 and influences the sequencing of Gulf-state procurement. QME is a central organizing principle of US–Israel defense relations and a recurring factor in Abraham Accords-era arms diplomacy.