Lockheed Martin, the Maryland-based defense giant, has firmly dismissed rumors that the U.S. government has installed a discreet “kill switch” in its F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.
The controversy surrounding a potential kill switch suggests that Washington could disable F-35 fighters operated by allied nations if necessary. However, Belgian Chief of Defense Gen. Frederik Vansina made it clear: “The F-35 is not a remote-controlled aircraft.”
Similarly, the Swiss Department of Federal Defense stated that external intervention cannot be used to “remotely control” or “block” the aircraft’s functionality. Switzerland’s F-35A fleet will be delivered at the same Block 4 standard as U.S. jets, and there is no contractual requirement for U.S. approval before using the fighter’s weapons.
Despite this reassurance, military analysts highlight that if the U.S. cuts off essential parts, software updates, and maintenance support, an F-35 fleet could become inoperable over time. As The War Zone reports, without access to American-controlled logistics and computer networks, foreign-operated F-35s would experience severe capability degradation—not an immediate shutdown, but a slow decline in functionality.
Beyond logistical reliance, U.S. policy imposes operational restrictions on foreign F-35 users. Reports indicate that international operators “are not allowed to conduct independent test operations outside of the Continental United States (CONUS)” due to U.S. security regulations. This policy ensures that critical American military technology remains under strict oversight, limiting what allied nations can do with their jets.
Currently, Israel is the only country with full autonomy over its F-35I Adir fleet, granted an exception that allows it to modify and operate the aircraft independently.