Amid concerns over “kill switch” in F-35 stealth jets, the Dutch State Secretary for Defence, Gijs Tuinman, has sparked controversy by suggesting the aircraft’s software could be “jailbroken” like an iPhone if the US withholds critical upgrades.
“I’m going to say something I should never say, but I’ll do it anyway. Just like your iPhone, you can jailbreak an F-35,” Gijs Tuinman said at the BNR Nieuwsradio‘s “Boekestijn en de Wijk” podcast, which was posted online on February 15, 2026.
Notably, these remarks come almost a year after experts from several F-35 customer nations raised concerns that the Trump administration might activate a so-called “kill switch” to disable the aircraft if relations soured.
German defense analysts expressed fears that Trump could exploit the “kill switch” in the F-35 jets to advance U.S. political interests at Germany’s expense. At the time, they described this mechanism as a software-based backdoor that would enable the supplier, Lockheed Martin, to remotely disable or severely impair the stealth fighter’s operations.
The concerns spread rapidly across Europe, amplified by transatlantic rifts, with several other nations voicing similar worries—as EurAsian Times reported at the time. The Pentagon swiftly intervened to quash the rumors, with the F-35 Joint Program Office stating unequivocally that no such “kill switch” exists on the aircraft and that the U.S. has no capability to remotely disrupt or disable the jets.
“There is no kill switch,” the Joint Program Office (JPO) for the F-35 program said in a statement.
“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 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.”
However, concerns about potential degradation of the F-35s persisted amid fears of transatlantic animosity. Buyers and prospective operators worried that—even absent a literal “kill switch”—the Trump administration could withhold critical software upgrades, mission data files, or spare parts, rendering the jets less combat-effective or even inoperable.
These concerns were raised by several nations, including Portugal, which reneged on its promise to buy the F-35, Canada, which put the acquisition under review, and NATO allies like Denmark.
The latest comments by the Dutch State Secretary for Defence indicate that allies remain skeptical of the F-35 and of American reliance on it as a trusted partner.
F-35 Jailbreak On The Cards?
The F-35 Lightning II is a software-defined aircraft. Its core systems, including the Integrated Core Processor, often referred to as its “computer brain,” run on over 8 million lines of source code.
More notably, though, the F-35 program imposes special restrictions on operators’ ability to modify the jet’s and related ground-based systems’ software independently.
In fact, the initial version of the software, called Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), which is being replaced by Operational Data Integrated Network (ODIN) due to persistent problems, is updated via a cloud-based network for almost all F-35s in service globally.
Beyond software updates and logistical data, the ALIS/ODIN network is built to download intelligence and other data following a sortie and to upload mission data packages containing extremely sensitive information, such as info about enemy air defence and other crucial intelligence, into the F-35 before the jets are deployed.
All critical updates, particularly the Mission Data Files (MDFs) for threat libraries, electronic warfare, weapons integration, and targeting, require US approval and processing.
The Royal Netherlands Air Force has a program of record to acquire 58 F-35A Lightning II fighter jets. But as a “Level 2” partner in the program, the Dutch have limited access to source code compared to the US or Israel, which is the only operator of the jet that can operate its F-35I Adir jets outside the ALIS/ODIN network and install locally developed software on the aircraft.
In the past, the Netherlands had fire-walled parts of its software reprogramming activities due to ALIS problems and concerns about the flow of nationally sensitive information within the network. However, even that work occurs under US watch.
Tuinman said he thinks the F-35’s software could be changed without authorization by outside operators—much like jailbreaking an iPhone. He was addressing questions about the F-35 in the context of US-Europe tensions and disagreements that continue to plague the age-old transatlantic relationship.
Notably, “Jailbreaking” is the technique of unlocking a limited electronic device from the limitations of its operating system. It is the process of deliberately removing software limitations from a device by exploiting its vulnerabilities to obtain root access to its operating system or firmware.
Jailbreaking an iPhone bypasses Apple’s restrictions to run unsigned code, install custom apps, or modify the OS. When applied to the F-35, it could possibly mean reverse-engineering or exploiting the aircraft’s software protections, including encryption, digital signatures, and authentication, to install third-party updates without US involvement with the aim of updating threat databases independently, integrating non-US weapons, or customising electronic warfare suites.
However, this is merely a speculation, and the EurAsian Times does not back these theories in the absence of solid evidence.
Some experts noted that this theory may have been presented to Tuinman only as a hypothetical undertaking, with no real effort to determine its viability. However, it is impossible to verify the assertions, particularly since the Secretary of Defense declined to reveal details, saying he should not discuss them.
The F-35 uses multi-level encryption, anti-tamper tech, and real-time telemetry, which means tampering could trigger self-destruct modes, fail-safes, or alert the US. Additionally, since the software has more than 8 million lines of source code across distributed systems, potential errors could even ground the fleet or cause in-flight failures.
Additionally, even if software is “jailbroken,” hardware spares, engines, and depot maintenance are US-dependent, and Washington would still be able to stonewall the jets via parts denial or remote commands.
Not just that, jailbreaking the F-35’s systems would put the operator in grave danger of legal action by Lockheed Martin and a serious rift with the US government.
Not only is it a difficult technological task, but if a country alters its F-35 aircraft without permission, it might not be allowed to participate in future official developments and upgrades when they are made available again.
The aircraft may eventually become virtually immobile in its current configuration, making it impossible to upgrade with new sensors, weaponry, or other technologies. Furthermore, it may be difficult to obtain updated Mission Data Files (MDFs), which would prevent the aircraft from properly recognizing and defending against more advanced enemy technology in the future.
In fact, the comments were ridiculed by military analysts, watchers, and common netizens on social media.
“When your jailbreak on an iPhone is faulty, you can’t watch cats on TikTok. When your jailbreak on an F-35 is faulty, your most skilled pilots can die…,” Dave DesRoches, a security watcher and Professor at Thayer Marshall Institute LLC, said on X.
Meanwhile, another defense analyst, Shahryar Pasandideh, wrote: “Suppose the Netherlands and others manage to ‘crack’/’jailbreak’ the F-35’s software. Then what? Where will they source all the spare parts for the aircraft and the non-substitutable engine? Short of retiring F-35s, Europe is bound to the US re the F-35 for decades to come.”
Some others dismissed the statement as a “dumb hot take” and took a dig at Europe’s AI and computer engineering capabilities.
Having said what he said, the Dutch Defence Secretary was supportive of the country’s fleet. The Netherlands has replaced its F-16 fleet with F-35s, which have reportedly also been equipped with nuclear capability, as previously reported by the EurAsian Times.
Nonetheless, it is pertinent to note that Tuinman reassured that, even though there is a growing divide between the current US government and European countries, it is still unclear whether Washington would jeopardize the F-35’s continued operation by blocking software upgrades or disrupting supply chains.
- Contact the author at sakshi.tiwari13 (at) outlook.com
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