Pistorius rules out possibility of US 'kill switch' for F-35 jets

31.01.2026 22:58

Ukrinform

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius considers it unlikely that the United States could remotely disable F-35 fighter jets or stop updating their software, as this would mean a complete collapse of US arms exports.

Pistorius stated this in an interview with RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND), Ukrinform reports.

"I consider a so-called kill switch on the part of the United States to be ruled out," he said.

He explained that if such a scenario were implemented, the US defense industry would lose all trust from its partners.

"Imagine this: a manufacturer disables these aircraft or stops software updates. That would be the end of US arms exports. From that moment on, no one would trust the American defense industry for even a second, regardless of who is in power in the United States. Therefore, this issue really does not arise," Pistorius said.

According to him, Germany will receive 35 fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter jets in early 2027, and these aircraft will significantly strengthen the combat capabilities of the Air Force and the Bundeswehr as a whole.

As Ukrinform reported, Spain will not purchase American F-35 fighter jets and will instead acquire modern aircraft from European manufacturers.