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F-35 Set to Receive Critical Upgrades in 2025 Production Lots - Naval News
Between the addition of new anti-ship cruise missiles and the delivery of new F-35 jets with Sidekick compatibility, the U.S. Navy is pushing forwardwww.navalnews.com
It's a new world; things are a changing.
Regards,
Donald Trump could deactivate supplies of American F-35 fighter jets making their way to Germany at the push of a button known as a “kill switch”, officials fear.
Germany is set to receive 35 of the world’s most advanced fighter jets for €8.3 billion (£6.9 billion) next year in a deal with the US.
The ability of the US to flip a switch that would render them inoperable has long been the subject of speculation, but until now, it has not been proven.
Wolfgang Ischinger, the former chairman of the Munich Security Conference, told Bild that Mr Trump’s loss of support for Ukraine bodes ill for Germany’s relationship with Washington on defence matters.
Mr Ischinger said: “If we should fear that the US would make the future German F-35 [jets] the same as they do in Ukraine now, then the issue of contract cancellation may be considered.”
I have to admit, that is one of the rare cases of European F-35 procurement where it is so clear and rational to get them (for the B61-12 bombs).The logic behind the German F-35 order is that it would provide Germany, relatively quickly, with aircraft capable of delivering US nukes stored in Germany. If the USA withdraws those nukes as part of a withdrawal from NATO, that logic evaporates.
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Musk calls on US to quit NATO, stop paying for Defence of Europe
Elon Musk expressed support for the U.S. exiting NATO, arguing it doesn't make sense for America to finance Europe's defense. His comments, made on social media, align with a suggestion from conservative commentators. This comes amid growing debates on NATOs future, with Trump also pushing for...economictimes.indiatimes.com
I wonder what happens next????
Regards,
Why is it necessary to mess with the Euros?
Bad examples."There is no kill switch."
There may not be a physical "kill switch", but there are other situations that are effectively kill switches.
Just ask the Russians how well their fleet of stolen Western made airliners are fairing without software, technical, and parts support. Those airliners certainly don't have kill switches, but lack of the support resources to maintain them has effectively bricked most of the pirate fleet.
It is also going to end up hurting the US defence industry, US defense stocks are down and EU are up?
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How Trump Is Killing the U.S. Defense Industry
It turns out that abandoning allies and tossing out security guarantees is bad for business.foreignpolicy.com
Absolutely none of this makes any sense.
Regards,
I'd replace 'is never' with 'isn't always'. Mostly it is rational with a few notable exceptions, this is not one of them, there are real reasons the share prices are going down.Word to the wise: The market is never rational. Don't read too much into the stock prices.
Why is it necessary to mess with the Euros? That is an extremely unfriendly thing to do to your supposed allies while they have a hot war going on in their backyard and they are well within range of Russian missiles.
If a country is going to spend billions of their defense budgets for the next few decades, it has to give a buyer great concern if the seller has changed from a rock-solid ally to someone who is so mercurial with their statements and actions that you worry about them sharing with your enemies.
We see that more and more the Block 4 will have in fact poor new capacity , all about sensors, at a time there is a need for a new engine , more range?![]()
First F-35 Block 4 Updates Start to Roll Out, Block 5 List Taking Shape
As Lockheed Martin rolls out the first elements of the F-35 Block 4 upgrade, Block 5 and later improvements are being studied.www.airandspaceforces.com
The source said that F-35s also required regular software updates for performance and security, which are delivered through US-led channels, and US-controlled spare parts.
“If the US withheld updates, the jet’s capabilities could degrade over time, but it wouldn’t suddenly stop working,” they said.
“The US controls the global supply chain for critical components. Foreign operators rely on this pipeline for spares and repairs. If the US cuts off supply, a fleet could eventually grind to a halt as parts wear out or fail.”
They added: “Unlike older jets that could be jury-rigged with local fixes, the F-35’s high-tech nature means operators can’t easily bypass US-sourced parts or software.”
This technological reliance means that even without a kill switch, the US holds “significant sway through logistics.”
“The F-35 is a complex machine, and it can only fly safely if all its parts – engines, sensors, stealth coatings – are serviceable,” they said.
“The US doesn’t need a dramatic kill switch, it can simply turn the screws on logistics, making the F-35 unsustainable for a non-compliant ally over time. The real power lies in the US’s grip on the supply chain, ensuring that only a well-maintained F-35 with serviceable parts can fly safely.”
We also got ODIN, ALIS and Just about any digital database sitting in the US which the US could use too degrade F-35 performance when they cut of the european user.Any foreign aircraft system relies on a CB parts stream. What seems different about F-35 is that it is reliant on a software stream too. I suspect it will not be unique is this way going forward - software is your weapon system, and increasingly foreign aircraft sales are going to adopt the “aircraft as a service” model. There is simply no other way to keep up. Your phone and your computer constantly patch themselves automatically (unless you deliberately disable such) and air rare going to be same going forward. Need the latest ability to jam an S300/400? There’s a patch for that, but you have to be v part of the service contract.
We also got ODIN, ALIS and Just about any digital database sitting in the US which the US could use too degrade F-35 performance when they cut of the european user.
Ukrainians have been flying their Russian jets at war for a decade now against the nation of their manufacturers...
IDF ravaged Arab air forces with their Mirage under France Embargo.
Iranian Tomcat outflow their USN counterparts...
F-35 will be just fine.
The most important thing is to get them and their unique capabilities while they are still on sale.
We see that more and more the Block 4 will have in fact poor new capacity , all about sensors, at a time there is a need for a new engine , more range?![]()
First F-35 Block 4 Updates Start to Roll Out, Block 5 List Taking Shape
As Lockheed Martin rolls out the first elements of the F-35 Block 4 upgrade, Block 5 and later improvements are being studied.www.airandspaceforces.com
I don't think they can simply 'roll' in a new engine into a block 5 effort. It is a very expensive proposition so would probably be a standalone effort. It will pretty much kill every other big ticket upgrade the services would want via a block upgrade if they tried to squeeze it in as part of the block 5 effort.I suppose a notional Block 5 would include a new engine?