I’ve seen a few articles now that US fighter jets have kill switches in them, so the US could just render them useless for anyone they’ve sold them to.

Is this true? It sounds insane to me, I’ve always assumed that countries that buy these jets have full control over them. It’s a gaping hole in your defence if you don’t.

  • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
    281·
    2 days ago

    I’m pretty sure it isn’t true and assume Trump misunderstood a general explaining gleefully that since the US manufacturers repair parts any country at war with America would quickly find its fleet inoperable due to the immense constant maintenance required for these planes.

    But, the President claiming there is a kill switch should cause all purchasing countries to cancel their orders - if such a switch exists then there’s a backdoor somewhere in the software and the US sucks balls at espionage so China knows how to trigger it.