Dutch defense chief says F-35 can be jailbroken like an iPhone

Dutch official claims F-35 can be jailbroken

A senior Dutch defense official has claimed the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet can be jailbroken "just like an iPhone." State Secretary for Defence Gijs Tuinman made the statement during a podcast interview on BNR.

He was asked whether European forces could modify the aircraft's software without U.S. permission if political alliances shifted. "If you still want to upgrade despite everything, I'm going to say something I should never say, but I will anyway: you can jailbreak an F-35 just like an iPhone," Tuinman said.

He did not elaborate on the technical process. His comments suggest European operators believe they could maintain their fleets independently of Lockheed Martin and the U.S. government.

Security experts skeptical of public jailbreak

Security researchers are deeply skeptical that a public jailbreak for the F-35 is feasible. Ken Munro of Pen Test Partners noted the extreme barrier to entry for hackers.

"Unlike consumer devices, such as the iPhone, which is easily accessed by the research community... one can't go buy an F-35 on eBay," Munro told The Register, which first reported Tuinman's comments. He said the lack of researcher access means security flaws are less likely to be found accidentally.

Munro also pointed out there is little commercial motivation to crack a fighter jet's software, unlike with consumer phones. Lockheed Martin declined to comment on Tuinman's claim, referring inquiries to the U.S. government.

Software updates are tightly controlled

The F-35's software ecosystem is designed for strict control. Updates are delivered through the proprietary Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS).

ALIS handles fleet management and technical data. Service packs are released every year or two, similar to major software updates for commercial products.

This centralized system is a key reason a jailbreak would be difficult. Israel is the only U.S. ally to have negotiated a special agreement to run its own software on its F-35I fleet, highlighting the exception that proves the rule.

European fears over US control persist

Tuinman's jailbreak comment taps into longstanding European anxieties about U.S. control over critical defense hardware. These fears intensified nearly a year ago.

In 2023, Joachim Schranzhofer, a communications head at German defense contractor Hensoldt, told Bild that rumors of a remote U.S. "kill switch" for European F-35 fleets were "more than just a rumor." This followed the U.S. pausing military aid to Ukraine, which included F-16 aircraft.

The episode caused wider concern across European defense circles. It influenced procurement decisions, with Portugal dropping its F-35 plans partly due to U.S. political concerns.

Mutual dependency provides some leverage

In his interview, Tuinman also emphasized the mutual industrial dependency within the F-35 program as a form of security for European partners. He framed this as a reason the U.S. would be unlikely to cut off support.

"The F-35 is truly a shared product," Tuinman said. "The British make the Rolls-Royce engines, and the Americans simply need them too."

He concluded that even without future U.S. software updates, the current F-35 "is still a better aircraft than other types of fighters." His jailbreak claim appears to be a rhetorical point about ultimate European agency, rather than a description of a simple, available process.