Does the F-35 Come With a “Kill Switch”? Europe Is Worried
According to the Joint Program Office (JPO) that handles all things relevant to the F-35, there is no kill switch—and thus no fear.
Recent foreign policy disagreements between the United States and several allies, including NATO member states, have stimulated discussions about the wisdom of Europe’s NATO nations relying on U.S.-made weapon systems.
Put simply, these allies and partners wonder whether the weapon systems and platforms they have bought from the U.S. would work if there was a rupture in their relationships with Washington, D.C. And much of the discussion has centered around the crown jewel of U.S.-made weapon systems: the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet.
Could America Install a Kill Switch on the F-35?
First of all, what is a kill switch? In military hardware, a kill switch is some sort of mechanism that a manufacturer could use to remotely disable a weapon system held by another military or group.
For example, the United Kingdom has sent Ukraine Challenger 2 main battle tanks. These tanks do not have a “kill switch” of any kind. But if they did, London could remotely disable them from use. This could come in useful if, in a hypothetical scenario, London wanted Kyiv to accept a proposed peace settlement, but the Ukrainian government refused; in such a scenario, the UK could threaten to use the kill switch to disable the tanks until Kyiv accepted. A better example, perhaps, is the U.S.-provided HIMARS rocket artillery, which relies on American targeting data—data that was abruptly cut off several weeks ago following a spat between Kyiv and Washington, briefly rendering the missiles inoperable.
The Trump administration’s willingness to shut off the HIMARS missiles has led some nations—particularly America’s European NATO allies—to wonder whether they can still rely on the stealth fighter jet if they clash with Washington, D.C. For example, Laurent de Casanove, the press secretary for the Canadian defence minister, said that “we need to do our homework given the changing environment, and make sure that the [F-35] contract in its current form is in the best interests of Canadians and the Canadian Armed Forces.” De Casanove made clear that Ottawa is not planning to cancel its F-35 contract, which provides 88 F-35As for the Canadian Air Force.
In addition to the United States, which operates all three versions of the F-35 for the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, 19 other countries have joined the F-35 program and submitted orders for more than 1,100 aircraft. However, the U.S. military remains by far the largest F-35 customer, with a total order of over 2,450 aircraft—including 1,763 F-35As for the Air Force alone.
The Pentagon Claims There Is No “Kill Switch”
According to the Joint Program Office (JPO) that handles all things relevant to the F-35, there is no kill switch—and thus no fear.
“The program operates under well-established agreements that ensure all F-35 operators have the necessary capabilities to sustain and operate their aircraft effectively,” the JPO said in a statement. “The strength of the F-35 program lies in its global partnership, and we remain committed to providing all users with the full functionality and support they require.”
Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the F-35 Lightning II is the most advanced fighter jet in the world. The aircraft is in active service with more than 16 services around the world and recently achieved the 1 million flight hours milestone.
“The F-35 was conceived, developed, and continues to be operated and sustained as a joint/coalition platform, built on strong partnerships with U.S. allies and partner nations across the globe,” the JPO added. “From its inception, the F-35 has been a collaborative effort, integrating the expertise and contributions of multiple countries to ensure it meets the operational needs of all its users.”
So it is safe to say that there is no kill switch in the F-35. Of course, given the plane’s maintenance-heavy nature and the need for U.S. contractors to keep it operable, a hostile administration in Washington could attempt to keep another nation’s F-35s from flying in other ways—but these are problems for another day.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP. Image: Shutterstock / Christopher Chambers.