F-35 Software Could Be Jailbreaked Like an IPhone: Dutch Defense Minister (twz.com)
- Reference: 0180840918
- News link: https://news.slashdot.org/story/26/02/22/0213244/f-35-software-could-be-jailbreaked-like-an-iphone-dutch-defense-minister
- Source link: https://www.twz.com/air/f-35-software-could-be-jailbreaked-like-an-iphone-dutch-defense-minister
TWZ notes that the Dutch defense secretary made the remarks during an [3]episode of BNR Nieuwsradio's "Boekestijn en de Wijk" podcast, according to a machine translation:
> Gijs Tuinman, who has been State Secretary for Defense in the Netherlands since 2024, does not appear to have offered any further details about what the jailbreaking process might entail. What, if any, cyber vulnerabilities this might indicate is also unclear. It is possible that he may have been speaking more notionally or figuratively about action that could be taken in the future, if necessary...
>
> The [4]ALIS /ODIN network is designed to handle much more than just software updates and logistical data. It is also the port used to upload mission data packages containing highly sensitive planning information, including details about enemy air defenses and other intelligence, onto F-35s before missions and to download intelligence and other data after a sortie. To date, Israel is the only country known to have successfully negotiated a deal giving it the right to install [5]domestically-developed software onto its F-35Is , as well as otherwise operate its jets [6]outside of the ALIS/ODIN network .
The comments "underscore larger issues surrounding the F-35 program, especially for foreign operators," the article points out. But at the same time F-35's have a sophisticated mission-planning data package. "So while jailbreaking F-35's onboard computers, as well as other aspects of the ALIS/ODIN network, may technically be feasible, there are immediate questions about the ability to independently recreate the critical mission planning and other support it provides. This is also just one aspect of what is necessary to keep the jets flying, let alone operationally relevant."
"TWZ previously explored many of these same issues in [7]detail last year, amid a flurry of reports about the possibility that F-35s have some type of discreet 'kill switch' built in that U.S. authorities could use to remotely disable the jets. Rumors of this capability are not new and remain completely unsubstantiated."
> At that time, we stressed that a 'kill switch' would not even be necessary to hobble F-35s in foreign service. At present, the jets are heavily dependent on U.S.-centric maintenance and logistics chains that are subject to American export controls and agreements with manufacturer Lockheed Martin. Just reliably sourcing spare parts has been [8]a huge challenge for the U.S. military itself ... F-35s would be quickly grounded without this sustainment support. [A cutoff in spare parts and support"would leave jailbroken jets quickly bricked on the ground," the article notes later.] Altogether, any kind of jailbreaking of the F-35's systems would come with a serious risk of legal action by Lockheed Martin and additional friction with the U.S. government.
Thanks to long-time Slashdot reader [9]Koreantoast for sharing the article.
[1] https://www.twz.com/air/f-35-software-could-be-jailbreaked-like-an-iphone-dutch-defense-minister
[2] https://www.twz.com/31861/replacement-for-f-35s-troubled-alis-cloud-based-brain-rebranded-odin-and-is-still-years-away
[3] https://www.bnr.nl/nieuws/nieuws-politiek/10594175/staatssecretaris-van-defensie-tuinman-nederland-is-eind-2028-klaar-voor-een-russische-aanval
[4] https://youtu.be/yqShP6R5P6g
[5] https://www.twz.com/10665/israel-is-getting-a-single-f-35-test-jet-unlike-any-other
[6] https://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/2016/04/04/israel-seeks-greater-autonomy-f-35-fighter-force/82619792/
[7] https://www.twz.com/air/you-dont-need-a-kill-switch-to-hobble-exported-f-35s
[8] https://www.twz.com/how-the-f-35s-lack-of-spare-parts-became-as-big-a-threat-as-enemy-missiles
[9] https://www.slashdot.org/~Koreantoast
Sci Fi Media (Score:2, Interesting)
Has taught us for decades that fighter craft need to be independently operate. There was a popular movie made about 30 years ago where the human race was saved because their fighter craft were able to operate independently, while the enemy fighter craft all immediately became nonfunctional once the mothership was destroyed.
What's changed where communication with the cloud is now necessary for such fighter craft operation? Wikipedia answers that question - incompetence with developing software causing m
Re: Sci Fi Media (Score:2)
Right... So the first system was a bust and now they're building another just like it for all our taxpayer money.
Re: (Score:2)
I too remember when presidents were competent enough to fly a fighter jet.
Root Cause. (Score:3)
> To date, Israel is the only country known to have successfully negotiated a deal giving it the right to install domestically-developed software onto its F-35Is, as well as otherwise operate its jets outside of the ALIS/ODIN network.
A "jailbroken" F-35 "side-loading" "dangerous" software under an Israeli contract in the world of litigation is called fully fucking legal and accepted by all parties involved.
I'm thinking if Lockheed didn't want to accept that risk no matter what, they would have never negotiated a deal like that. And yet, they did. So, who was ultimately responsible for advertising a jailbreak sideloading capability on the F-35?
A 12-year old can "jam" the radar unit of an F-35 too..if they use enough raspberry. - Lone Starr
Re: (Score:2)
> The root cause is a dementia patient rambling about Greenland.
> If this was someones grandfather we'd all laugh and take away his car keys. The problem is grandpa leads a military and a dangerous cult.
Greenland ownership has been a military point of contention and debate since Eisenhowers time. We already have military bases there, and it's already a NATO member. The US has made purchases like this before (Virgin Islands) and for similar reasons. Many former US leaders have had this discussion. Trump doesn't mind backing away from the harder discussions and decisions. Ironically enough a Democrat leader doing this would be labeled as wise and compared to Eisenhower.
Oh, and speaking of actual incompe
Re: (Score:2)
> Greenland ownership has been a military point of contention and debate since Eisenhowers time. We already have military bases there, and it's already a NATO member. The US has made purchases like this before (Virgin Islands) and for similar reasons. Many former US leaders have had this discussion. Trump doesn't mind backing away from the harder discussions and decisions.
Purchases? Denmark says Greenland is simply not for sale. They told a petulant man baby no and he's throwing a tantrum. [1]https://www.motherjones.com/po... [motherjones.com]
> Ironically enough a Democrat leader doing this would be labeled as wise and compared to Eisenhower.
I don't know any democrats who would be cheering for a president to threaten to take away territory.
> Oh, and speaking of actual incompetence, the reason America has President Trump again was because those infected with long-TDS decided to hand the car keys over to President Autopen and the Open Border Czar, who DEI-crafted the clusterfuck America is dealing with today.
Ah yes MAGA logic. You voted for this guy and you know he's fucking everything up but you claim its MY fault. The autopen rants are comical at best. Do you think that fat bloated hand held onto a sharpie and pardoned 1600 January 6th criminals? Fuck no he di
[1] https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/01/europe-tells-trump-greenland-is-not-for-sale/
Re: (Score:1)
> Purchases? Denmark says Greenland is simply not for sale.
Greenland is stolen land. Why should Denmark get to decide who runs it? How does it make sense that a tiny country thousands of miles away gets to tell the people who live in a large country on the other side of an ocean what to do?
Particularly when the US could steal it from Denmark in an afternoon, and that would be perfectly legal under Denmark's "we stole it, we own it" rules.
Re: (Score:2)
Now talk about England and the USA.
Re: (Score:2)
If it is done under an agreement with the manufacturer, it is not jailbreaking. I
Re: (Score:2)
Whatever systems are in place to remotely disable F-35s, I'm sure the European air forces and navies buying them have already figured out how to remove or bypass them. Not that Europe doesn't have its own cutting edge jets.
Cloud Components (Score:2)
Man... seriously. Who the f... approved this? Fighter jets should be completely self-sufficient to be 100.00% reliable in combat, especially in remote locations, and for prolonged amount of time.
Cool (Score:2)
Now I just need to find a way to sneak up to an F-35.
no need for adervsary to trouble themselves (Score:2)
All an adversary need do is plant a few new stories on State Regime Media (Fox) about how the F-35 is being "misused" by one of the U.S. "partners". la Presidenta is sure to see it and start throwing his toys out of the pram again and order the Tetragon (the Fox host running the joint lost a side. but he clams its is around somewhere) to brick a "partner's" F-35.
Shortly thereafter, the "partner" will breath a sigh of relief and go shopping elsewhere so that Lockheed-Martin can go and suck eggs.
Re: (Score:1)
Yes. That really was a particularly retarded idea.
Stealth is most useful for offensive action and Canada isn't likely to be attacking anyone who hs air defences. Canada needs something that can survive losing an engine over the Arctic, not something designed to attack the USSR.
"cloud-based components"?! (Score:2)
Perhaps I'm not understanding the exact nature of the "cloud-based components" but that 100% sounds like a single point of failure for an enemy to disable every F-35 or at the very least sabotage them into being wholly ineffective. I now understand why there were concerns about a kill switch.
While, I do understand why countries didn't initially consider this a problem, as US leadership was rational, I don't understand why they have not been working on reverse engineering the whole thing since at least 2018.
Jailbreaked? (Score:2)
Jailbroken.
Lucky for that new EU directive! (Score:2)
The one that prefers sources in the EU for military contracts.
There is no need to feed a competitor and maybe enemy, which is what the US has become.
"Like an iphone" is a bit dissatisfactory (Score:2)
Especially for a product that my taxes go into. I would have preferred it was "like a xiaomi" or "like a samsung from a few years back" or "like a supported sony" or something rather than this.
A) No. B) stupid (Score:2)
A) The iPhone is both a well recognized brand, designed by a US company, and a product that has never had the option to load an alternative firmware.
B) If this is your primary concern then you're an idiot.