Με τις ΗΠΑ να πραγματοποιούν αλλαγή πλεύσης στην πολιτική τους υπέρ της Ρωσίας και να διακόπτουν τη στρατιωτική υποστήριξη προς την Ουκρανία, πολλές ευρωπαϊκές κυβερνήσεις «μετανιώνουν για τις δεκαετίες αγορών αμερικανικών όπλων και την εξάρτησή τους από την Ουάσιγκτον για τη συνέχιση της λειτουργίας αυτών των όπλων» αναφέρουν οι Financial Times.
«Αν βλέπουν πώς αντιμετωπίζει ο Τραμπ τον [Ουκρανό πρόεδρο Βολοντίμιρ] Ζελένσκι, θα πρέπει να ανησυχούν. Τον εγκαταλείπει. Και τα κράτη της Σκανδιναβίας και της Βαλτικής θα πρέπει να αναρωτηθούν αν θα κάνει το ίδιο και με αυτά» σημειώνει ο Μίκαελ Γκρεβ, πρώην πιλότος μαχητικού Gripen και πλέον διευθύνων σύμβουλος της Avioniq, σουηδικής εταιρείας αμυντικής τεχνητής νοημοσύνης.
Είναι τέτοια η ανησυχία, σημειώνουν οι FT, που η συζήτηση έχει στραφεί στο κατά πόσον οι ΗΠΑ διατηρούν μυστικούς «διακόπτες έκτακτης ανάγκης», όπως αποκαλούνται, που ουσιαστικά ακινητοποιούν αεροσκάφη και οπλικά συστήματα. Αν και δεν έχει αποδειχθεί ποτέ, ο Ρίτσαρντ Αμπουλάφια, διευθύνων σύμβουλος της εταιρείας συμβούλων AeroDynamic Advisory, υποστηρίζει πως «αν κανείς υποθέτει την ύπαρξη ενός μηχανισμού που μπορεί να ενεργοποιηθεί με ένα μικρό κομμάτι κώδικα λογισμικού, υπάρχει».
Όπως, ωστόσο, σχολιάζει το δημοσίευμα, «στην πράξη, ίσως να μην έχει καν σημασία [η ύπαρξη του «kill switch»] λόγω της τεράστιας εξάρτησης των προηγμένων μαχητικών αεροσκαφών και άλλων εξελιγμένων οπλικών συστημάτων από τα αμερικανικά ανταλλακτικά και τις ενημερώσεις λογισμικού».
Η εξάρτηση της Ευρώπης από τις ΗΠΑ, εν τω μεταξύ, αυξάνεται, με το 55% των εισαγωγών αμυντικού εξοπλισμού της Ευρώπης μεταξύ 2019 και 2023 να είναι αμερικανικές, σε σχέση με το 35% την προηγούμενη πενταετία, σύμφωνα με το Διεθνές Ινστιτούτο Ερευνών Ειρήνης της Στοκχόλμης.
Ο Τραμπ έχει επανειλημμένως διακηρύξει την πρόθεσή του για εξαγορά της Γροιλανδίας, μιας αυτόνομης περιοχής εντός του βασιλείου της Δανίας. Επικαλούμενοι τη στρατηγική σημασία της Αρκτικής, οι υπουργοί της Δανίας έχουν δηλώσει ότι θα προσπαθήσουν να ενισχύσουν το νησί – ενδεχομένως με την επέκταση ενός διαδρόμου στο αεροδρόμιο που θα φιλοξενεί μαχητικά αεροσκάφη F-35 που αγοράστηκαν από τις ΗΠΑ.
Ο συγκεκριμένος τύπος μαχητικού βασίζεται σε διαρκείς ενημερώσεις και υποστήριξη συντήρησης από τις ΗΠΑ μέσω του Αυτόνομου Συστήματος Πληροφοριών Εφοδιασμού – το οποίο πρόκειται να αντικατασταθεί από ένα διάδοχο πρόγραμμα γνωστό ως Odin, το Ολοκληρωμένο Δίκτυο Επιχειρησιακών Δεδομένων (Operational Data Integrated Network). Τα συστήματα αυτά διαχειρίζονται τα πάντα, από τον σχεδιασμό της αποστολής έως τη διάγνωση της συντήρησης.
Σημειώνεται πως πάνω από το ήμισυ των εξελιγμένων πολεμικών αεροσκαφών της Ευρώπης, κυρίως τα F-35 και τα F-16, αγοράζονται από τις ΗΠΑ.
[iEpikaira: Υπενθυμίζεται ότι τη νύχτα των Ιμίων, τα μαχητικά αεροσκάφη F-16 (Ελληνικά και Τουρκικά) ήταν καθηλωμένα στο έδαφος λόγω κάποιας κατασκευαστικής ατέλειας(;!) Ενώ τα Mirage ήταν ετοιμοπόλεμα παρά τις αντίξοες καιρικές συνθήκες... Περισσότερα στο militaire.gr. Μήπως γι' αυτό κάποιοι συστηματικά απαξιώνουν τα ελληνικά αξιόμαχα Mirage;]
Πηγή: liberal.gr
Why German Policymakers Are Concerned an American ‘Kill Switch’ Could Disable Their F-35 Fleet
Following the emergence of a significant rift between Washington and the majority of its European allies over their positions towards the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian War, German policymakers have expressed growing concerns over the possibility that the U.S. could remotely disable F-35A fifth generation fighters procured for the German Air Force in the event of a security crisis. Thirty-five of the fighters are currently on order under a $9 billion deal, with the aircraft having procured specifically due to their advanced nuclear delivery capabilities, which is viewed as necessary due to Germany’s ongoing nuclear sharing deal with the United States that gives it wartime access to American B61 bombs. The United States’ threats to cut off Ukraine’s access to the Starlink satellite network, and reported limitation of its access to targeting data to utilise precision guided weapons, have set a precedent for this.
”The ‘kill switch’ in the F-35 is more than just a rumour,” Joachim Schranzhofer, the head of communications at German defence company Hensoldt informed the local media outlet Bild. “But it’s much easier to use the mission planning system – then the plane stays on the ground.” Former president of the Munich Security Conference Foundation Wolfgang Ischinger was among the informed sources that questioned the future of German’s F-35 procurement plans. “If we have to fear that the U.S. could do with future German F-35s what they are currently doing with Ukraine, we could consider terminating the contract,” he stated.
Concerns regarding the limited autonomy which operators of the F-35 will have were highlighted beyond Germany, with the defence analyst Richard Aboulafia, speaking to the London-based Financial Times, observing that although the existence of a kill switch has not been confirmed, “If you postulate the existence of something that can be done with a little bit of software code, it exists.” “Most European militaries depend heavily on the US for communications support, for electronic warfare support, and for ammunition resupply in any serious conflict,” Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, observed, which made the need for a ‘kill switch’ redundant. The possibility of the United States disabling F-35s supplied to clients abroad has been raised repeatedly in the past, with analysts specifically observing that the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) system which is heavily centralised in the United States could easily be used to disable the fighters.
The United States has since the 1980s placed particularly extensive restrictions on the utilisation of its fighter aircraft by foreign clients, which has been widely raised as an issue for decades. In early 2020 former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad observed regarding the restrictions imposed on the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s operations of the country’s F-18 fighters: “we cannot program the plane for any attacks against other countries without getting the programming done by Americans. So although the planes are very good, in terms of performance very powerful engines, but we cannot program the plane by ourselves. You have to refer to the United States for putting the program for any raid on foreign countries for example. So our planes were costly. We have them. We can fly them at airshows. But we cannot use them to fight any other country because we don’t get the source code.”
In February 2025 former Indian Air Force Air Marshal Anil Chopra observed that the lack of an ability to depend on the United States, and Washington’s “tendency to exert pressure and abandon allies when its own interests diverge with theirs,” were leading factors that ensured Delhi would not consider the F-35. The restrictions on access to software codes, and on which bases fighters could be operated from and for what roles, were also major factors leading India not to seriously consider offers to supply the F-16 or F-18 in the past. Such concerns have usually not been raised by NATO members due to their greater access to software codes and common strategic objectives with Washington, although the unprecedented new rift between Washington and Europe could result in a paradigm shift in this regard. Nevertheless, the F-35’s position as the only fifth generation fighter in production in the Western world leaves European states with few viable alternatives.
Source: https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/german-policymakers-concerned-american-kill-switch-disable-f35
Kill Switch: How the U.S. Can Shut Down Europe’s Military in an Instant
The “Kill Switch” is the hidden mechanism through which the U.S. retains control over military systems supplied to its allies. From F-35 fighter jets to HIMARS missile systems, Patriot air defenses, and even critical communications networks like Link 16, these systems can be remotely restricted or disabled by Washington. The recent example of the U.S. limiting Ukraine’s HIMARS range proves that even in active conflict, allies remain dependent on American approval. For Europe, this means that in a crisis – especially against a power like Russia – its ability to defend itself could be severely compromised. To achieve true Strategic Autonomy 2.0, Europe must not only develop independent defense capabilities but also ensure the freedom to act without U.S. permission.
Introduction
Recent statements and actions by U.S. President Donald Trump raise serious concerns about whether the U.S. will uphold Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. While this alone is alarming, it also raises a more unsettling question: could Europe find itself in a war against a country backed by the United States, potentially even Russia?
This scenario may seem far-fetched, but it cannot be dismissed outright. After all, just a few years ago, few could have imagined that we would be facing the current geopolitical reality.
This scenario raises a pressing question: To what extent is Europe’s military autonomy constrained by the very weapons and systems it has acquired from the U.S.; a constraint that Ukraine has painfully experienced firsthand.
This article examines the “Kill Switch”: the embedded control mechanisms in U.S. military systems that can limit, disable, or even neutralize the military capabilities of American allies if they step out of line. I analyze which systems are affected, how they function, and what the military and strategic implications are for Europe.
1. The ‘Kill Switch’ in action: How the U.S. has used it before
The idea that the U.S. could remotely limit or disable weapons systems it supplies to its allies is not theoretical: it has already happened. A striking example is the HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) supplied to Ukraine.
The HIMARS system is capable of firing long-range ATACMS missiles, which would allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russian-held territory. However, when these systems were delivered, the U.S. deliberately disabled their full range, limiting Ukraine’s ability to use them offensively against targets beyond a certain distance.
While publicly justified as a way to avoid escalating the conflict, this action demonstrated that the U.S. retains control over how its weapons are used, even after transfer to an ally.
This is not an isolated case. The U.S. has historically imposed software locks, geofencing, and supply-chain dependencies on various weapons systems, ensuring that they remain under Washington’s control.
The question for Europe is: what happens if the U.S. decides to apply similar restrictions – or worse, a full shutdown – on European forces?
2. U.S. Military Systems with Embedded Control Mechanisms
The European military landscape is deeply intertwined with U.S. technology, from fighter jets to missile defense systems and digital infrastructure. Below are some of the most critical systems that could be restricted or disabled in a crisis.
a. Fighter Aircraft and DronesF-35 Lightning II: Requires continuous software updates from Lockheed Martin via ALIS/ODIN; without U.S. approval, essential functions could be disabled.
F-16V Fighting Falcon: Weapons integration and electronic warfare capabilities remain under U.S. oversight.
MQ-9 Reaper Drone: Operates through U.S.-controlled satellite links, potentially allowing remote deactivation.
b. Air Defense SystemsPatriot Missile System: Relies on U.S. software updates and radar configurations, meaning the U.S. could degrade or disable its effectiveness.
c. Ground-Based SystemsHIMARS: As seen in Ukraine, range and targeting restrictions can be imposed remotely.
M1A2 Abrams Tank: Fire control and targeting systems are dependent on U.S.-controlled encryption.
d. Naval and Missile SystemsAEGIS Combat System: European warships equipped with AEGIS rely on U.S.-provided software and radar configurations.
Tomahawk Cruise Missiles: Used by the UK, but launch authorization and targeting systems remain tied to U.S. oversight.
e. Communications and Space SystemsGPS (Global Positioning System): The U.S. can degrade or deny military GPS signals, disrupting European precision targeting and navigation.
Link 16 Tactical Network: This encrypted NATO-standard battlefield communication system is controlled by the U.S., meaning non-compliant nations could be locked out.
3. What Happens If the U.S. Activates the ‘Kill Switch’?
If the U.S. were to cut off operational access to these systems, Europe’s ability to defend itself – particularly against a near-peer adversary like Russia – would collapse overnight.
Without functioning F-35s and F-16s, European air superiority would be lost within days. Russian aircraft, although technologically inferior, would dominate the skies simply due to sheer numbers and active electronic warfare.
With Patriot missile defense systems no longer operational, Europe would be exposed to Russian missile strikes with little or no protection. Major military installations and infrastructure hubs would become easy targets.
HIMARS and other long-range artillery would suddenly be unable to fire at full range, crippling Europe’s ability to strike back at enemy forces. Meanwhile, Russia’s artillery and missile forces, which are not subject to such restrictions, would operate without limitation.
GPS degradation would mean that European forces lose precision targeting and navigation capabilities, rendering many advanced weapons ineffective. This would affect naval operations, missile guidance, and battlefield coordination, creating chaos in command and control.
Simply put, in a direct military confrontation with Russia, Europe would be fighting with one hand tied behind its back, and the U.S. would be holding the rope.
4. Other U.S. Allies at Risk
Europe is not alone in facing this vulnerability. Other U.S. allies also operate under the shadow of American control.
Taiwan: A Digital Kill Switch for Semiconductor Manufacturing: Taiwan, a crucial player in the global semiconductor industry, relies on Dutch ASML extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines to produce high-end chips. The U.S. has pressured ASML to install a remote kill switch, ensuring that these machines can be disabled in the event of a Chinese invasion.
Israel: Partial Autonomy, But Still Dependent: Israel enjoys more leeway than most U.S. allies due to its independent military industry, yet it still relies on the U.S. for key technologies like F-35 jets and advanced missile defense systems. In a scenario where U.S. policy diverges from Israeli interests, Washington could restrict weapons resupply or disable crucial components.
The lesson for all U.S. allies is clear: you are only as strong as Washington allows you to be.
5. Can Europe Free Itself from the ‘Kill Switch’?
Short-Term Solutions:Demand full access to software and encryption keys for European-operated systems.
Develop independent military communication networks to replace Link 16.
Medium-Term Solutions:Accelerate European alternatives to American weapon systems, such as FCAS for air superiority and MGCS for land warfare.
Expand the EU’s Galileo system as a military alternative to GPS.
Long-Term Solutions:Build an autonomous European defense-industrial complex capable of producing next-generation aircraft, missiles, and cyber capabilities.
Establish an EU Defense Command independent of NATO structures.
Conclusion: The Illusion of Military Independence
The “Kill Switch” is the hidden mechanism through which the U.S. retains control over military systems supplied to its allies. From F-35 fighter jets to HIMARS missile systems, Patriot air defenses, and even critical communications networks like Link 16, these systems can be remotely restricted or disabled by Washington. The recent example of the U.S. limiting Ukraine’s HIMARS range proves that even in active conflict, allies remain dependent on American approval. For Europe, this means that in a crisis – especially against a power like Russia – its ability to defend itself could be severely compromised.
To achieve true Strategic Autonomy 2.0, Europe must not only develop independent defense capabilities but also ensure the freedom to act without U.S. permission.
Source: https://global4cast.org/2025/02/kill-switch-how-the-u-s-can-shut-down-europes-military-in-an-instant/
