Media: Germany’s F-35 purchase under fire amid fears of remote US control

Germany's €8.3 billion purchase of 35 F-35 fighter jets from the US faces growing scrutiny over concerns that US authorities, possibly influenced by President Trump, could remotely disable the aircraft in a crisis.

This fear follows recent reports that critical targeting data for HIMARS rocket systems, already delivered to Ukraine, could be remotely disabled by the US, Caliber.Az reports, citing Bild.

The F-35, which will be integral to Germany's future defence capabilities, has raised alarms over the possibility of a “kill switch” being built into the aircraft. This feature would allow the US to shut down the jets in the event of a European conflict, such as a Russian invasion of the Baltics, if Washington preferred negotiation over military retaliation.

Joachim Schranzhofer, communications chief at German defence contractor Hensoldt, has raised concerns about the F-35’s control systems, suggesting that the aircraft could be grounded remotely via the mission planning system. Hensoldt is a technical partner of Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-35, which adds weight to Schranzhofer’s warnings.

Wolfgang Ischinger, former diplomat and president of the Munich Security Conference, echoed these concerns, stating, "If we fear that the US could do with our future F-35s what they are currently doing with Ukraine, we might have to consider cancelling the contract."

Ingo Gädechens, a former soldier and CDU member of the Bundestag, also expressed caution. He told Bild that Germany must retain full control over the deployment of its military assets, stating, "If we're spending so much on a weapon system like the F-35, we must be able to decide how it is used." He added, "We cannot allow American weapons systems bought for the Bundeswehr to be disabled by an impulsive decision from Donald Trump. This must be seriously examined."

The debate has ignited further discussions within Europe about the potential risks of reliance on US-controlled military technologies, with many urging a closer examination of the terms of the F-35 contract.

By Aghakazim Guliyev