The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin swear there’s no secret “kill switch” that they can flip to remotely disable the F-35 fighter jet. But the logistical supply chains and software requirements of the jet make it impossible to operate without U.S. support.
Rumors of a magic button the U.S. can use to turn off one of its most advanced and expensive weapons exports have circulated widely online over the past month. On the surface, the rumor is ridiculous but the fear is widespread and has been discussed among serious enough people that the U.S. military-industrial complex has had to issue multiple concrete denials. While the F-35 has no easy “off” button it is a complicated machine that requires constant American support and fears of a kill-switch reflect real anxieties in its allies and customers.
The F-35 is a bestseller. Sure the aircraft gets into a lot of accidents but that hasn’t stopped manufacturer Lockheed Martin from selling them all over the planet. Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Israel, and several other countries have purchased the jet. But Trump’s election and his disruption of NATO and traditional treaty systems have been bad for business.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said earlier this week that he is reviewing its current contract to acquire the fighters and might reconsider, given the “geopolitical environment.” Carney is following the lead of Portugal’s defense minister who said something similar earlier this month.
Neither of them mentioned a kill switch, but the rumor began to circulate online in defense circles. The rumor was loud enough for official people to issue official statements. “There is no kill switch,” the Joint Program Office (JPO) for the F-35 program said in a statement. “The program operates under well-established agreements that ensure all F-35 operators have the necessary capabilities to sustain and operate their aircraft effectively. The strength of the F-35 program lies in its global partnership, and we remain committed to providing all users with the full functionality and support they require.”
Lockheed Martin posted a copy of the statement on X.
‘There is no kill switch’—The F-35 'kill switch' rumor has been debunked.
“After weeks of speculation, the Pentagon formally denies having the ability to remotely disable @LockheedMartin’s F-35 fighter jets.”
— F-35 Lightning II (@thef35) March 18, 2025
There is no kill switch for the F-35, but the JPO’s statement points to the very real problems with the weapons system. In its own words, the jet “operates under well-established agreements,” its strength “lies in its global partnership,” and JPO “[remains] committed to providing all users with the full functionality and support they require.” In other words, the F-35 doesn’t fly unless JPO helps you, but don’t worry because it’s committed to helping.
Buying an F-35 is a lot like buying an iPhone or a Tesla. When those machines break it’s hard to repair them without going back to the manufacturer. That’s by design. So too with the F-35. A country or military isn’t just buying a jet, it’s buying a whole bunch of software systems and logistical supply chains.
Weapons this advanced require a lot of maintenance and support. When an F-35 breaks you can’t just repair it on sight with what you’ve got lying around. American contractors or American-trained contractors have to come in and take care of the problem.
As The War Zone put it: you don’t need a kill switch to hobble exported F-35s. According to Lockheed’s own estimation the F-35 global supply chain involves 1,450 U.S. suppliers and 80 suppliers in 11 other countries. Pieces of the jet are made in Texas, Italy, and Japan. Lockheed Martin designed and sold the F-35 in an environment where many of these international relationships were rock solid.
They aren’t anymore.
One of the biggest problems with the F-35 is a software issue. The jet relies on a proprietary system called Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) and the forthcoming successor Operational Data Integrated Network (ODIN), a cloud-based networking system that manages a lot of the jet’s systems.
ALIS/ ODIN is also the system through which the F-35 uploads and downloads Mission Data Files, a collection of planning data and targeting information that’s critical to the jet. “It’s not just a matter of ‘updating software,’” OSINT analyst Bill Sweetman said in a post on X. “The Mission Data File (MDF) is the electronic battle manual for the F-35. It provides known target characteristics for the fusion engine that IDs targets with minimal emissions. It contains threat emitter models that permit the aircraft to follow the minimum-detectability flightpath, the ‘blue line’ track. It runs comms, hosts the electronic order of battle.”
The F-35 may not have a “kill switch” in the traditional sense, but the countries who bought it are locked into an irrevocable pact with Lockheed Martin and America. ALIS/ ODIN might not be able to turn off the F-35 remotely, but losing access to it can make it impossible to fly.
Only one country has escaped the F-35 software and logistics trap while still being able to fly the jet: Israel. The IDF’s contract for the jet allows it to operate its own software systems without ALIS/ ODIN and conduct its own maintenance.
