A report indicates Washington might be able to deactivate Berlin’s F-35 fighters remotely.
German officials are increasingly worried that the U.S. could remotely disable F-35 fighter jets destined for Germany in a crisis. This concern mirrors the recent decision to halt intelligence and military aid to Ukraine, Bild reported.
The German Air Force is scheduled to receive 35 American-made F-35A Lightning II jets starting in 2026, a deal worth €8.3 billion ($9 billion). However, some German policymakers are concerned that U.S. President Donald Trump, who has disagreed with the EU on several issues, might use a ‘kill switch’ to ground the planes if the U.S. and European nations have different approaches to a potential conflict with Russia, according to the report.
”The ‘kill switch’ in the F-35 is more than just a rumor,” Joachim Schranzhofer, head of communications at German defense company Hensoldt, told Bild. “But it’s much easier to use the mission planning system – then the plane stays on the ground.”
Wolfgang Ischinger, former president of the Munich Security Conference Foundation, questioned the future of the agreement. “If we have to fear that the US could do with future German F-35s what they are currently doing with Ukraine, we could consider terminating the contract,” he said, as quoted by the tabloid.
Similar concerns about a kill switch on U.S.-made jets were voiced by experts interviewed by the Financial Times. Defense analyst Richard Aboulafia noted that while a kill switch has never been proven, “If you postulate the existence of something that can be done with a little bit of software code, it exists.”
Others suggested a kill switch would be unnecessary given the sophistication of modern fighter jets and their reliance on the vendor. “Most European militaries depend heavily on the US for communications support, for electronic warfare support, and for ammunition resupply in any serious conflict,” Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, told the FT.
These F-35 anxieties arose after the U.S. suspended military and intelligence support for Kyiv following a dispute between Trump and Vladimir Zelensky, during which Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of not desiring peace with Russia.
The F-35 program is considered the most expensive military project ever, with total projected costs exceeding $1.7 trillion over its lifespan. Since its first flight in 2006, the program has faced cost increases, delays, and reliability problems. Over 1,100 have been produced, many supplied to U.S. allies.