By TOM COTTERILL

Published: 14:45 GMT, 11 March 2025 | Updated: 14:45 GMT, 11 March 2025

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Fears Donald Trump could hit a 'kill switch' that could disable Europe's fleet of F-35 stealth jets have today been branded 'disinformation [expletive]' by a British spymaster. Germany is set to become the latest country to receive the American-made fighter jet, the most advanced in the world, having ordered 35 of the warplanes as part of a €8.3 billion (£6.9 billion) ($8.9 million). Britain has already agreed to buy 48 of the hi-tech warplanes by the end of 2025 as part of a £9.1 billion ($11.8 billion) deal. So far, 36 jets have been delivered, which can fly off the Royal Navy's two £3.2 billion ($4.1 billion) Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.

Fears Donald Trump could hit a ‘kill switch’ that could disable Europe’s fleet of F-35 stealth jets have today been branded ‘disinformation [expletive]’ by a British spymaster. Germany is set to become the latest country to receive the American-made fighter jet, the most advanced in the world, having ordered 35 of the warplanes as part of a €8.3 billion (£6.9 billion) ($8.9 million). Britain has already agreed to buy 48 of the hi-tech warplanes by the end of 2025 as part of a £9.1 billion ($11.8 billion) deal. So far, 36 jets have been delivered, which can fly off the Royal Navy’s two £3.2 billion ($4.1 billion) Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.

But defense officials in Berlin have expressed concerns that the White House has the power to shut off the state-of-the-art jets remotely, which could render them useless - a claim that has long been speculated. However, over the weekend Joachim Schranzhofer the head of communications at Hensoldt, the German arms company, told Germany's Bild newspaper the 'kill switch in the F-35 is more than just a rumor'. The comments come as part of a growing rift between Europe and America over funds to support Ukraine, and followed reports that US-supplied F-16s had stopped working in Ukraine after key support for its radar system was axed by the States.

But defense officials in Berlin have expressed concerns that the White House has the power to shut off the state-of-the-art jets remotely, which could render them useless – a claim that has long been speculated. However, over the weekend Joachim Schranzhofer the head of communications at Hensoldt, the German arms company, told Germany’s Bild newspaper the ‘kill switch in the F-35 is more than just a rumor’. The comments come as part of a growing rift between Europe and America over funds to support Ukraine, and followed reports that US-supplied F-16s had stopped working in Ukraine after key support for its radar system was axed by the States.

However, Colonel Philip Ingram, a former officer in British military intelligence, has slammed down rumours the F-35 could be vulnerable to American meddling. Speaking to MailOnline, Col Ingram said: 'It's [expletive]. The US can't remotely disabled F-35 jets. There's no "switch" they can flip to stop it midflight or on the tarmac.' He continued: 'It's in lots of people's interest across Europe to scaremonger about US weapon supplies and the potential to turn off US weapons. 'It suits a lot of defense companies to create rumors that the US systems are completely unreliable and they can switch things off and not let you use it. All that does is politically get other people looking at non-US suppliers.

However, Colonel Philip Ingram, a former officer in British military intelligence, has slammed down rumours the F-35 could be vulnerable to American meddling. Speaking to MailOnline, Col Ingram said: ‘It’s [expletive]. The US can’t remotely disabled F-35 jets. There’s no “switch” they can flip to stop it midflight or on the tarmac.’ He continued: ‘It’s in lots of people’s interest across Europe to scaremonger about US weapon supplies and the potential to turn off US weapons. ‘It suits a lot of defense companies to create rumors that the US systems are completely unreliable and they can switch things off and not let you use it. All that does is politically get other people looking at non-US suppliers.

'We shouldn't be heeding these claims in the slightest. It's disinformation.' The F-35s are already operated by the US, UK, Italy, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands - with Germany, Belgium, Finland, Switzerland and Poland also having selected the stealth jet as the backbones for their future air forces. Capable of reaching blistering speeds of 1,200mph, the supersonic stealth jet are able to can slip past even the most sophisticated air defense systems undetected. They also have the ability to land vertically, similar to the old Harrier jump jets.

‘We shouldn’t be heeding these claims in the slightest. It’s disinformation.’ The F-35s are already operated by the US, UK, Italy, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands – with Germany, Belgium, Finland, Switzerland and Poland also having selected the stealth jet as the backbones for their future air forces. Capable of reaching blistering speeds of 1,200mph, the supersonic stealth jet are able to can slip past even the most sophisticated air defense systems undetected. They also have the ability to land vertically, similar to the old Harrier jump jets.

The day-to-day running of the space-aged aircraft is heavily reliant on US systems, from software updates to spare parts. Col Ingram said this means America does have the ability to cause a 'logistical headache' by switching off systems that monitor the health of the jets and alert technicians to potential faults. But asked if Trump's administration would ever consider cutting European partners off from the F-35's US tech support, Col Ingram said: 'It would be economic suicide for Donald Trump to do this.'

The day-to-day running of the space-aged aircraft is heavily reliant on US systems, from software updates to spare parts. Col Ingram said this means America does have the ability to cause a ‘logistical headache’ by switching off systems that monitor the health of the jets and alert technicians to potential faults. But asked if Trump’s administration would ever consider cutting European partners off from the F-35’s US tech support, Col Ingram said: ‘It would be economic suicide for Donald Trump to do this.’

The F-35 is the most advanced plane on earth. It is akin to a 'flying computer' with more than 'eight million lines of code' that relies on 'integrated logistics systems'. Key to this is the Autonomic Logistics Information System (Alis) and its successor, the Operational Data Integrated Network (Odin). An intelligence source told the i newspaper: 'This is a networked system, meaning F-35 operators including foreign militaries connect to a US-managed infrastructure to access this data.

The F-35 is the most advanced plane on earth. It is akin to a ‘flying computer’ with more than ‘eight million lines of code’ that relies on ‘integrated logistics systems’. Key to this is the Autonomic Logistics Information System (Alis) and its successor, the Operational Data Integrated Network (Odin). An intelligence source told the i newspaper: ‘This is a networked system, meaning F-35 operators including foreign militaries connect to a US-managed infrastructure to access this data. ‘Critics pointed to this centralization as a potential vulnerability – could the US turn off’ Alis and cripple the fleet? In reality, Alis doesn’t control the jet’s ability to fly, it’s a support tool.

'If Alis were unavailable, operators could still fly the plane, though maintenance would become a logistical nightmare without the automated diagnostics.' Col Ingram added if such a system was removed, it would not hinder the F-35s ability to fly. 'It would be a logistical headache but nothing more,' he added. ‘It would take away automated maintenance updates. It would be like the car’s computer not saying a lightbulb had failed and not sending that automatically to the garage to alert technicians. 'Someone could manually look at it in the old fashioned way. It’s just scaremongering.' However, Justin Bronk, a senior researcher at defence think-tank Rusi said European partners could struggle if American decided to shut off key digital systems. 'Most European militaries depend heavily on the US for communications support, for electronic warfare support, and for ammunition resupply in any serious conflict,' he told the Financial Times.

‘If Alis were unavailable, operators could still fly the plane, though maintenance would become a logistical nightmare without the automated diagnostics.’ Col Ingram added if such a system was removed, it would not hinder the F-35s ability to fly. ‘It would be a logistical headache but nothing more,’ he added. ‘It would take away automated maintenance updates. It would be like the car’s computer not saying a lightbulb had failed and not sending that automatically to the garage to alert technicians. ‘Someone could manually look at it in the old fashioned way. It’s just scaremongering.’ However, Justin Bronk, a senior researcher at defence think-tank Rusi said European partners could struggle if American decided to shut off key digital systems. ‘Most European militaries depend heavily on the US for communications support, for electronic warfare support, and for ammunition resupply in any serious conflict,’ he told the Financial Times.

In Germany, the F-35s were specifically bought to carry US-made nuclear weapons, meaning the jets were '100 per cent dependent on [the] US'. In a post on X, Mr Bronk admitted there was a 'real dependency' on the US for the running of the stealth jets – but hinted that Nato might have bigger fish to fry. 'If all your targeting capacity; "beyond line of sight" communications; penetrating or orbital intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and the munitions you assume you’d fight with in a war are US-provided, then dependency on the US for…[parts of the] F-35 isn’t your main problem,' he said. British defense sources insisted the claims coming from Germany had been 'sprinkled with Trump sensationalism'. In a statement to MailOnline, the RAF also appeared to shrug off the comments 'The UK maintains the freedom of action to operate the F-35 Lightning at a time and place of our choosing,' a spokeswoman said. The 'kill switch' claims have also been rejected by other defense sources in Europe, with the Swiss department of defense denying the claims.

In Germany, the F-35s were specifically bought to carry US-made nuclear weapons, meaning the jets were ‘100 per cent dependent on [the] US’. In a post on X, Mr Bronk admitted there was a ‘real dependency’ on the US for the running of the stealth jets – but hinted that Nato might have bigger fish to fry. ‘If all your targeting capacity; “beyond line of sight” communications; penetrating or orbital intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and the munitions you assume you’d fight with in a war are US-provided, then dependency on the US for…[parts of the] F-35 isn’t your main problem,’ he said. British defense sources insisted the claims coming from Germany had been ‘sprinkled with Trump sensationalism’. In a statement to MailOnline, the RAF also appeared to shrug off the comments ‘The UK maintains the freedom of action to operate the F-35 Lightning at a time and place of our choosing,’ a spokeswoman said. The ‘kill switch’ claims have also been rejected by other defense sources in Europe, with the Swiss department of defense denying the claims.

While General Frederik Vansina, the Belgian chief of defense and a former fast-jet pilot, told Belgian national newspaper La Dernière Heure: 'We have no indication that this is possible. The F-35 is not a remote-controlled aircraft.' On the idea the US could block access to spare parts, he added the F-35 relies on a global logistical system where parts are made by and circulate between the countries that use F-35. '[So] if the Americans blocked parts for one country, that country could do the same for US F-35s. Everyone stands together – it’s partnership.' Lockheed Martin, the defense firm behind the development of the F-35. John Neilson, director of international communications at the defense giant, told MailOnline: 'Lockheed Martin is committed to helping its customers strengthen their airpower and security with the F-35. 'As part of our government contracts, we deliver all system infrastructure and data required for all F-35 customers to sustain the aircraft. Foreign military sales are government-to-government transactions, so anything further is best addressed by the U.S. or respective customer governments.'

While General Frederik Vansina, the Belgian chief of defense and a former fast-jet pilot, told Belgian national newspaper La Dernière Heure: ‘We have no indication that this is possible. The F-35 is not a remote-controlled aircraft.’ On the idea the US could block access to spare parts, he added the F-35 relies on a global logistical system where parts are made by and circulate between the countries that use F-35. ‘[So] if the Americans blocked parts for one country, that country could do the same for US F-35s. Everyone stands together – it’s partnership.’ Lockheed Martin, the defense firm behind the development of the F-35. John Neilson, director of international communications at the defense giant, told MailOnline: ‘Lockheed Martin is committed to helping its customers strengthen their airpower and security with the F-35. ‘As part of our government contracts, we deliver all system infrastructure and data required for all F-35 customers to sustain the aircraft. Foreign military sales are government-to-government transactions, so anything further is best addressed by the U.S. or respective customer governments.’

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Could Trump hit a F-35 ‘kill-switch’ to disable Europe’s air force?

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