Germany questions U.S. reliance amid F‑35 'kill switch' fears
Germany has purchased F-35A aircraft from the USA, designed to carry nuclear weapons, to ensure American nuclear deterrence. Following a shift in Washington's policy towards Europe, Berlin is considering whether total reliance on the USA poses too much risk, writes the influential newspaper "Süddeutsche Zeitung".
"Can the American F-35s purchased for billions of euros be remotely deactivated? It's just a rumor. In the event of a conflict, however, Americans have other ways to immobilize the aircraft," writes Georg Ismar on the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" website.
The German government has purchased 35 F-35A fighter jets for the Bundeswehr to ensure the most important type of American protection: nuclear deterrence against Russia. Approximately 20 B61-12 nuclear bombs are stored at the German-American Buechel base, each with a yield of 50 kilotons. Until now, the German military used Tornado jets adapted for carrying nuclear bombs. Starting in 2027, Tornado jets will be replaced by F-35As.
As Ismar noted, the project, valued at 10 billion euros, should please the US President Donald Trump. "Currently, there is no certainty whether the nuclear bombs will remain in Buechel. The United States, from a close ally, is becoming an uncertain companion," explained the journalist. Additionally, there is talk of a "kill switch"—a technical device that could allow the F-35 to be remotely controlled, which might restrict its operation.
Denmark regrets decision to purchase F-35
Denmark concluded that purchasing the F-35 was not the best idea. If the Danes wanted to use these aircraft to defend Greenland from the USA, "they might not reach there at all," said military expert Michael Schoellhorn. Denmark regrets the decision to purchase the F-35. Although the American side denied the existence of a "kill switch," Washington has other means to immobilize the planes by refusing to supply spare parts or update data and equipment.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius denied that the version of the aircraft purchased by Germany could have a "control option." It is unclear what effects a lack of American data, updates, and information would have on the operation of the F-35. Since millions of data points are stored in the cloud, the issue of access and control has become a topic of discussion in the German Ministry of Defense, as reported on the "SZ" website.
The Ministry of Defense reassures that the F-35 "cannot be remotely deactivated." The aircraft is a multinational product, and its components are also produced outside the USA, including in Germany. Military experts, however, warn against too one-sided a dependency on the USA. Carlo Masala from the Bundeswehr University in Munich sees the biggest problem in the transfer of data and spare parts.
If they run out, the F-35 will not be able to perform many tasks, he said.
Shift towards European manufacturers?
In Germany, there is increasing pressure to shift towards European solutions. This opinion is shared by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. The problem, however, is the lack of European offers.
The commander of the Swiss Air Force, Peter Merz, considered the debate about the F-35 absurd. On the LinkedIn platform, Merz wrote that the USA cannot remotely control the F-35 jets and that there is no switch that disables the aircraft. The lack of an alternative, however, leads to significant dependency on America, admits the Swiss officer. In terms of aircraft, Europeans are, in his opinion, 20 to 30 years behind America.
